January 15th can't come soon enough!

So, like,

The Magnetic Fields are happy to announce that their new album, titled Distortion, will be released on Nonesuch Records on January 15, 2008. The band will perform a small number of U.S. tour dates in February and March. Specific details regarding venues and ticket pre-sales will be announced shortly.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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LISTEN TO IN INTERVIEW

If you do one thing today, it should be listening to IN INTERVIEW. These kids are from NYC and are pretty much my new favorite thing (now if I could just catch them live, like everyone else did last week, that would be nice). Not to belittle the band to just one petty description, but if you could imagine what the Young Marble Giants would've sounded like if they all drank more coffee and thought horns were a good idea (horns ARE a good idea, by the way). It's also important to note that they also put on quite a fantastic live show. Though they've been together since at least 2004, there haven't been any releases besides a showing on a Teenbeat sampler of that same year. As such, they're currently shopping around for a label, so somebody pick these guys up!!! I have no MP3s, so I urge urge urge you to go to their MySpace and listen the two tracks they have up – espeically "I'll Confess," which I must say, is the fucking jam.

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YAY! Records

YAY1, YAY2, YAY3, and YAY4 on my floor.

There's no need to get deep into it, but as anyone who's anyone will tell you, 2007 has been an hugely excellent year for INDIEPOP! There's been labels popping up all over the place, many of which have been covered here or may be discussed in further posts, but today I'd like to take a moment to shed some light on Oxnard, California's very own YAY! Records. Claiming to "bring the fun back in pop!" the YAY! label is dedicated to vinly-only releases of some of the best pop! that Southern California's got to offer. The label's current roster includes Maria, Catwalk, Pam & Teri, and recent additions The Sea Lions!

Here's a taste of what you can expect from YAY!
[MP3]: Maria :: I Remember What It Was To Feel (Highly Rec'd!!)
[MP3]: Maria :: Friends Forever (Highly Rec'd!!)

I would also definitely recommend checking out the rest of the bands at their respective homes on MySpace to hear more songs and to be their friends, of course.

YAY!'s current and forthcoming releases include:
YAY!1 - MARIA: "Oh Victoria!" Out Now!!
YAY!2 - CATWALK: "Shiny Girl" (Now avaliable!!)
YAY!3 - YAY! Fanzine (Now Available!!)
YAY!4 - MARIA: "Friends Forever" Out Now!!
YAY!5 - PAM & TERI: "Lucy" (Coming out very soon!!!!!)
YAY!6 - Sea Lions: "There's More Than Feeling Like This" (Fall 2007)
YAY!7 - Catwalk: "Comely" (Fall 2007)
YAY!8 - YAY! Fanzine (Winter 2007)
YAY!9 - MARIA: "Love Is Something I Know Nothing About" (Winter 2007)

Visit the YAY! Label for more information on ordering!

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Pants Yell!'s Alison Statton

Pants Yell!

Since hearing becoming addicted to Pants Yell's Recent Drama for the majority of last year, and consequently telling everyone I knew how it was the best record of the year, I had been dying for a new record, a new something, a new anything. Like I've mentioned previously, when I first heard news of original drummer Carly leaving the band, I was genuinely worried; you could even say crushed. They seemed to work together as such a cohesive unit, and I felt like a change could kill the charm forever. Well, upon nervously hearing the new record, Alison Statton, just a few days ago, it became pretty evident that they had, infact, NOT lost that charm. It turns out these new sounds on the record like horn solos, waves of strings, and noticeably punchier drumming only add to the charm of a band that has never ever let me down – not even once. Check out the excellent organ and horns bridge on "Tried To be Good." It's moves like that that make Alison Statton such a wonderful success.

[MP3]: Pants Yell! :: Tried To Be Good (Super Crazy Recommended!)

Look for the new Pants Yell! album, Alison Statton, on December 4, alongside a limited-edition lathe cut 7" on Soft Abuse Records. Preorder info should be surfacing in a week or two, so stay tuned for that jazz. You will love this record. "Two French Sisters" alone is reason enough to buy the crap out of this album.

Pants Yell! on MySpace!

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The Softies: "Hey, Hey Girl" (Rocketship Cover)

Today is my birthday! I am now 22 years old! Since it's my birthday and not yours and you might feel left out, I decided I would give you guy's a birthday present.

So, I figure, what better a present a than The Softies covering Rocketship's classic "Hey, Hey Girl"? It took me forever to finally track this down, but I finally got my hands on it a few days ago! It comes from Vol. 2 of a series of compilation 7"s put out by Red Square Records in 2001, called The Way Things Change. It's awesome and I love it, I hope you like it, too! Happy birthday!

[MP3]: The Softies :: Hey, Hey Girl (Rocketship cover)

Bye!

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Alison Statton

The new Pants Yell! record is beyond incredible.
More on that later.
Way to go, guys.

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New Video Tullycraft Video! "Georgette Plays A Goth"

Yessssssssssssssssssss!!! New video for one of my favorite songs on the new record!

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The Foxgloves: "I Dreamt That Love Was A Crime"

I must thank a million times over a certain Krister Bladh (who used to write at The Rain Fell Down, but has since left Glasgow and now writes from Sweden at Heaven Is Above Your Head), as it is he who is responsible for me finally hearing what had been unknowingly been right under my nose for the past four years. The Foxgloves are Joe Brooker of The Pines and Stephen Troussé, who wrote for the Papercuts zine. Their EP, The Lives You Didn't Lead, was released in 2003 on Ara Harcopian's practically unknown DC pop label, Foxyboy. See, right under my nose; but how was I supposed to know?! They may have not known it at the time, and maybe they still don't, or maybe they did – how could they not? – but the first four minutes and fifty seconds of the aformentioned EP contain quite possibly the finest pop song I've heard in some time. The song is, of course, "I Dreamt That Love Was A Crime." My shoddy writing skills are bereft of anything that would do this song justice, so I've chosen to just write down the lyrics, in hopes that they may help you realize the beauty within the beginning and the end.

[MP3]: The Foxgloves :: I Dreamt That Love Was A Crime (Very Highly Rec'd!!!)

Words:

I dreamt that love was a crime
But still I couldn't get arrested
The guilt was mine, but you confessed it
And you're the one doing time

I saw the picture today
The pale confetti in your auburn hair
I have convinced myself I didn't care
And put the paper away

But when you're waiting for the bus in the rain
Your mind is set to wander again along the avenues and streets
Of every life you didn't lead
And all the neighborhoods, they all have their charms
You're only good at wasting the arms of dreams that linger then fade
With every choice you never made

I spent two years on the run
I never knew what i was running for
In every room I found the exit door
I'd lost before I'd even begun

I saw the picture today
The pale confetti in your auburn hair
I have convinced myself I didn't care
And put the paper away

But when you're waiting for the bus in the rain
Your mind is set to wander again along the avenues and streets
of every life you didn't lead
and all the neighborhoods, they all have their charms
you're only good at wasting the arms of dreams that linger then fade
with every choice you never made

Chris wrote about the song here.

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Skatterbrain October Mix

Photograph by evil-eye on Flickr.

My favorite thing to do on this blog is to make mixes, and I'd like to assume that most of you all like when I make mixes, so I've decided to start doing monthly mixes. These mixes will include songs – both old and new – that I have been playing over and over and over all month long! I think it will be fun, I hope you like it! Here's the first one, for October.

DOWNLOAD IT! As always, this mix is lovingly tagged as a compilation, complete with artwork similar to the image above. I think it's wonderful and I hope you do, too.

[ZIP]: Skatterbrain October Mix (65mb, 18 MP3s)

Tracklist:
01. Oh! Custer :: Your Name
02. Yeah Jazz :: Sharon
03. Vivian Girls :: Telepathic Love (Wipers cover)
04. Tyvek :: Give It Up
05. Surefire Broadcast :: Through A Red Door
06. Rough Bunnies :: Guinea Pig Has A Nose For <3
07. Ports of Call :: Aireals
08. Betty Marie Barnes :: The Sea Song
09. Meneguar :: Table 2
10. Pony Up! :: Ships
11. HollAnd :: Turn Off the Century
12. The Hermit Crabs :: Goodbye My Friend
13. The Radiator Experts :: Upside Down
14. Gaze :: Tea or Coffee
15. The Magnetic Fields :: Yeah! Oh, Yeah!
16. Celestial :: Nothing Happens; Twice
17. The Bright Lights :: Marissa's Song
18. Vells :: All Eleven Lull

I must say, I think this mix is super good. You should get it,
and please, please enjoy! :)

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New Indie-MP3 Message Boards!

Hello everyone! Another quick reminder – for those of you that don't frequent the Indie-MP3 blog (how could you not?), they've got their new message boards up and running now! You should all come join in so it's not so, er, dead and barren! :D

COME COME COME!

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The Bridal Shop: "Bay The Moon"

The Bridal Shop

It's so hard to stay on top of everything Cloudberry Records puts out, because of the super-fast rate at which they release records. One such example of this is that I totally missed that they recently put out a new Bridal Shop single, Bay The Moon, back in September. Anyone familiar with their From Seas EP will find more of the band's excellent characteristic, almost calypso-flavored, dreamy indiepop – complete with breathy male and female vocals, breezy synths, and the always reliable drum machine. Definitely recommended for fans of The Radio Dept., Boat Club, Brighter, et al. Check out the title track, "Bay The Moon."

[MP3]: The Bridal Shop :: Bay The Moon (Highly Rec'd!)

Order Bay The Moon direct from Cloudberry Records, HERE.
The Bridal Shop on MySpace!

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Moscow Olympics

Just a quick post real quick before I run off to class, but I just had to mention this! Sweden's Fraction Discs label has just announced they will be releasing the debut 7" from the very excellent Philippine dreampop band Moscow Olympics! Moscow Olympics take the swirling, ringing guitars of late 80s shoegaze and mix it with the sweet melodies of Sarah Records-era indiepop, creating a fantastic dreampop sound that you would swear Bobby Wratten had a hand in. The single will feature the amazing track, "Still" on the a-side and previously unheard track, "Talk Like This" on the b-side. I've never mentioned the band before because I've got no songs to post for you, but I urge you to go over their myspace and listen to the demos they have up. Then I think you'll realize why I'm so excited!

Listen to Moscow Olympics on MySpace!

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The Manhattan Love Suicides: "Head Over Heels"

The Manhattan Love Suicides have a had a big couple of months. The released the Kick It Back EP on Magic Marker back near the end of August, and then on October 5 we saw the release their other new EP, Keep It Coming. The new EP also marks the debut release for the excellent new London label, Lost Music Records, a project of Lost Music Presents, who've been organizing fantastic gigs all across London since April. Back to the new record; Keep It Coming is a limited edition four-track 7" EP featuring three (!) new songs, and a great reworking of "Thinking Is Killing Me," which appeared on their self-titled debut last year. I've mentioned how much I loved title track "Keep It Coming" when I first heard it over a month ago, but now I've finally got the whole thing in my hands and I gotta say, "Head Over Heels" is my new favorite MLS song. Sounding like The Shop Assistants covering some long lost girl-group gem, The Manhattan Love Suicides have really outdone themselves on this one. I suggest listening to it immediately!

[MP3]: The Manhattan Love Suicides :: Head Over Heels (HIGHLY REC'D!)

If you like it, head over to Lost Music Records and grab yourself a copy!
The Manhattan Love Suicides on MySpace!

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Tullycraft: "The Neutron"

Tullycraft!!!

I'm still waiting on a few more records that are supposed to see the light of day this year, but good luck to them, because it's gonna pretty hard to top Tullycraft's new harmony-soaked, behemoth of an indiepop record. From beginning to end, Every Scene Needs A Center is ridiculously infectious. It only takes only one listen to get any given song stuck in your head, and that's always been Tullycraft's true gift. The gift of the incredible pop hook, typically (though not always) backed with an undeniable two to five part vocal harmony, no doubt stuck in the most perfect spot imaginable. Oddly enough, it's for that very reason that Tullycraft seems to push away possible fans. For reasons I myself will never understand, some people just refuse to feel that much joy rush through their body at one time; and no song on the new record bring me more of that joy than the utterly brilliant "The Neutron." I mean, I don't even know what to say about that chorus, other than "THANK YOU!" Pop song of the year? Who knows yet. It's definitely among the best.

[MP3]: Tullycraft :: The Neutron (More recommended than most everything!)

Every Scene Needs A Center is out October 23 on Magic Marker Records and hearing it will make your life at least 79% better, guaranteed. The record release show is on October 18 at the Crocodile in Seattle, WA with the Math and Physics Club and Patience Please. If you're anywhere kind of near there, you better show up!
Tullycraft on MySpace!

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Popfest New England 2007

Hooray for Popfest New England! Hooray!

I'm can't believe I've forgotten all this time to make any mention of 2007's Popfest New England. This year's Popfest, again put on and organized by Skipping Stones Records, is sure to be amazing, and surely not to be missed. There have been some recent updates, line-up-wise, so I figured now is as good a time as any to finally plug the hell out of it. As indicated in the sweet and charming image above, The Popfest will be taking place Friday, November 9 though Sunday, November 11 at The Elevens in Northampton, Massachusetts. Like last year, all shows are still 21+. The partially somewhat new (fantastic) line-up, as of today stands as:

Friday, November 9 (First band on at 8:45)
Eula, New Haven, CT
The Toothaches, Jamaica Plain, MA
The Fawns, Northampton, MA
One Happy Island, Boston, MA
The Besties, Brooklyn, NY
My Teenage Stride, NYC
Bunnygrunt, St. Louis, MO

Saturday, November 10 (First band on at 9:00)
Silly Piano Pillows, Friendsville, PA
The Grade Grubbers, Buffalo, NY
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, NYC
Brown Recluse Sings, Philadelphia, PA
Pants Yell!, Cambridge, MA
St. Christopher, York, UK

Sunday, November 11
Sunday Matinee (First band on at 3:30)
Singing Bridges, Oakville, CT
Scary Monster, Philadelphia, PA
Colin Clary + a Magog, Burlington, VT
The Lil' Hospital, Brooklyn, NY (Just Added!!)

Evening Show (First band on at 9:00)
The 500s, Portland, ME
Nils Folke Valdemar Sings, Gothenburg, Sweden
Surefire Broadcast, Hammonton, NJ
The Capstan Shafts (Dean + Full Band), Lyndonville, VT
The Smittens, Burlington, VT
Professor Pez, Bergen, Norway

I'm really excited to actually be going this year, after missing out last year because I was not yet 21. The whole line-up is excellent but I'm particularly super pumped to see The Pains, Surefire Broadcast, Pants Yell!, The Besties, Lil' Hospital, and of course, The Capstan Shafts!!! Who's going? And who are you excited for? And hey, maybe I'll see you there!

Tickets can be purchased HERE. Tickets will also be available at the door, but it's strongly suggested you grab them now to assure you son't get there and, well, be totally screwed. Other details, including lodging, etc can be found HERE.
Popfest New England 2007 on MySpace!

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Young Sensation: "Happiness"

Young Sensation!

I don't really know too much about Young Sensation beside the fact they're from Southwest England and they're a "a brand brand special new band!" Brand brand special new is right, as the band's only been reportedly been together since this past August! Their short time together doesn't seem to be a problem though, because they've apparently had enough time to craft super jangly shimmering choruses as fantastic as the one in "Happiness." If you like "Happiness," you can listen to another song called "Dance The Night Away" over on the band's MySpace. I'm really looking forward to hearing more from these guys, because this is a really, really great start. The guy's voice reminds me of someone, but I can't for the life of me think of who it is. Anyway, it's totally good. You should listen to it!

[MP3]: Young Sensation :: Happiness (Really Recommended!!!)

Check out Young Sensation on MySpace!

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Ringo Deathstarr: "Sweet Girl"

Austin, TX's mighty Ringo Deathstarr.

Excuse me for being a bit late on the best shoegaze record of the year, but frankly I've been far too busy enjoying the crap out of every second of Ringo Deathstarr's debut self-titled EP, to even think about writing about it. But now that I've managed to take a step back from it, I've noticed that Ringo Deathstarr, as well as other recent cohorts such as The Manhattan Love Suicides, seem to have more than just a "thing" for the brothers Reid. They don't just appreciate their work, they obviously grew up on it, had that ringing wash of electric joy instilled somewhere in their psyche. They don't just like those sounds, they fucking adore them – and the Reid brothers should be mighty chuffed, as we all know that imitation, especially imitation this damn good, is the very greatest form of flattery*. Listen, you and I both know I'm a horrid writer, what I'm trying to say is, don't you dare overlook this record. Don't you dare.

[MP3]: Ringo Deathstarr :: Sweet Girl (SUPER AMAZING RECOMMENDED PLUS!)

Buy the EP from SVC Records for cheap!
Ringo Deathstarr on MySpace!

*It is entirely possible that the members of Ringo Deathstarr don't "fucking adore" JAMC, but if I weren't to assume such a thing, this post would've been one sentence long; now who want's that? Nobody, that's who.

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OMG DEAN WELLS REALLY EXISTS!

OMG! Dean Wells aka The Capstan Shafts, has for years been notorious for his unwillingness to ever play live, EVER. Well this past Saturday that all changed, as he played his first ever live show at Stannard Church in the backwoods of Vermont. The great blog False 45th was there and has a fantastic recap of the entire night. Read it all here, complete with photos and videos.

In other Capstan Shafts news – of which I'm slightly late in reporting to you and you probably already know by now but oh well – Dean has been added to the already fantastic bill at this years New England Popfest! Hooray for everything!

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The Lucksmiths: "Falling Off of My Feet Again" (Siddeleys cover)

The Lucksmiths

I've been slowly working my way through the new, MASSIVE (49 tracks!) Lucksmiths compilation, Spring A Leak and I'm continually excited after every track. There's enough covers, b-sides, demos, compilation tracks, and unreleased stuff here to keep anyone happy for months. I knew I was going to love it but I couldn't have possibly been more ecstatic when I saw that not only was there Cat's Miaow cover (!), but there's also a Siddeleys cover!!! – and of one of my favorite Siddeleys songs, "Falling Off of My Feet Again." I would hugely recommend Spring A Leak to not just Lucksmiths fans – who will no doubt love every second of every 49 tracks – but to anyone who's ever loved any kind of indiepop, because chances are there's probably something here that you wont see coming! P.S. I've also posted the original "Falling Off of My Feet Again." Both versions obviously come highly recommended!

[MP3]: The Lucksmiths :: Falling Off of My Feet Again (Siddeleys cover)
[MP3]: The Siddeleys :: Falling Off of My Feet Again

Pick up Spring A Leak from Matinee Records!
The Lucksmiths on MySpace!

Oh, and you can actually grab The Siddeleys' Slum Clearance from Matinee, too – which you should definitely do if you don't own it, because it's one of the most essential indiepop records ever. Totally unfuckablewith.

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Club 8: "Leave The North"

Club 8

After having it close by my side for several months now, I can confidently say that Club 8's The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming (their second album with the same name as a TVPs record, hmm...) will definitely end up being one of my top 10 favorite records of the year – possibly even top five. I've written about how awesome it is once already, but I wanted to share another song with you guys, on the off chance you're still not convinced of the album's greatness. The album's full of a lot of different style's: the dance-y, hand clapping "Whatever You Want"; the Brazilian samba of "Heaven"; and the sheer hazy beauty of this song, my current favorite track, "Leave The North." Seriously, soooooooo sad and gorgeous.

[MP3]: Club 8 :: Leave The North (Very VERY Recommended!!)

The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming is out now on Sweden's Labrador Records.
Club 8 on MySpace!

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New Pants Yell!: "Magenta and Green"

Oh my goodness! What with a Tullycraft and Airfields single already you think this Fall couldn't get any better, but wait – it totally has! We've known about a new Pants Yell! record in the works for a while now, but no idea what it might sound like. Well we wait no longer, on December 4th Soft Abuse will release Pants Yell!'s third full length, Alison Statton. The album – named after cute little Young Marble Giants frontwoman, Alison Statton – is a fairly big step for the band, bringing in saxophone, trumpet, glockenspiel, and even the occasional flare of feedback this time around. I expected a change though, but I was still pretty worried what might happen to the band's sound after Carly left. However, there's no need to worry anymore, because if the rest of the album is as ace as "Magenta and Green", then they're still very excellent. To put it simply, "Magenta and Green" is the epitome of modern indiepop.

[MP3]: Pants Yell! :: Magenta and Green (Very Highly Recommended!!!)

Alison Statton tracklist:
01. More Purple
02. Reject, Reject
03. Tried to Be Good
04. Evan's Way
05. A New City Life
06. Magenta and Green
07. Shoreham Kent
08. Alison Statton
09. The Royal We
10. For Dee
11. Two French Sisters

On December 4th, Alison Statton will be released alongside a SUPER LIMITED EDITION (only 60 copies!) lathe-cut 7" with hand-screened sleeves. The 7" features a solo acoustic set that Andrew recorded at a house show in MA. Keep an eye on the Soft Abuse site for preorder details, should they arise.
Pants Yell! on MySpace!

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Los Campesinos!: "The International Tweexcore Underground"

I'm still not totally sure what my feelings are towards this song, but I love Los Campesinos! and although the content of the song's got me a bit confused, it's still pretty damn catchy. Plus, I do enjoy watching the video – so whatever, I say watch it and enjoy it!

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The Airfields: "Yr So Wonderful"

The Airfields

The Airfields are pretty much incredible – basically one of the best bands out there right now, really. Their Laneways EP is one of my very favorite records of the past two years, and with the new album currently being mixed, hopefully we'll see it by the end of the year or possibly early 2008.

Until then, though, they've just released a new single titled "Yr So Wonderful" on the also wonderful Cloudberry Records. "Yr So Wonderful" proves again my theory that The Airfelds cannot write a bad song. The new single packs a bit more of a punch than most of what we saw on Laneways, churning away right from the start with squalls of feedback, rapid-fire snare rolls, and dense Farfisa organ coating everything in a thick icy haze. Every Airfields song I've heard makes me feel like I'm caught in some kind of snow storm, but "Yr So Wonderful" feels like an full-blown blizzard.

[MP3]: The Airfields :: Yr So Wonderful (Enormously Recommended!!!)

Buy Yr So Wonderful from Cloudberry Records!
The Airfields on MySpace!

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The Lil' Hospital: New songs on WBAR

The Lil' Hospital

Last Wednesday Kevin stopped by our friend Caitlin's show on WBAR Radio to play a little acoustic set. He played some songs from last year's Heavy Metal, and a couple new ones, too. Due to some problem the show ended up not being archived, but thanks to Caitlin we do have recordings of the two new songs that Kevin played. The first one's a catchy little song called "Universe" and the second one is a funny song about Kip Berman of The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, which Kevin has charmingly titled "Kip Is A Dick." Haha. Enjoy!

[MP3]: The Lil' Hospital :: Universe
[MP3]: The Lil' Hospital :: Kip Is A Dick

The Lil' Hospital on MySpace!

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