Indie Surfer Blog

Best Albums 2011

2012-01-03T11:36:00.002+01:00

10. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

09. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

08. tUnE-yArDs - Whokill

07. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints

06. Bill Callahan - Apocalypse

05. Destroyer - Kaputt

04. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

03. Fucked Up - David Comes To Life

02. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

01. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

New music... Los Campesinos!, Kurt Vile, The Antwoord

2011-11-18T14:34:00.004+01:00

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The Lanskies

2011-09-19T14:50:00.005+02:00

The Lanskies@MySpace

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We Are Augustines

2011-08-23T14:47:00.002+02:00

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Typhoon, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

2011-07-14T12:59:00.005+02:00

Portland, Oregon's Typhoon has been catching the attention of many since the release of their new EP, A New Kind Of House, out last month on Tender Loving Empire Records. With a captivating live show, one that was a main attraction at this year's SXSW Music Festival, the band is excited embark on a headlining tohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifur, join the Decemberists for a run of dates and play Lollapalooza, The Newport Folk & Sasquatch Music Festivals. Along with calling "The Honest Truth" one of "The Best Songs of 2011," Paste Magazine raves "Music critics throw around adjectives like 'orchestral' and 'expansive' all the time these days. But here's a band that actually deserves such labels. Portland's Typhoon is an indie rock geek's dream: a dynamic 12-piece with a seemingly unending reservoir of energy, emotive vocals, arpeggiated guitars, horns, multiple drum kits and strings ... Ladies and gentlemen, meet your new critical darlings."

Typhoon - The Hones Truth
Typhoon - Summer Home
Typhoon@MySpace

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The seeds of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour were sown in a Danish small town in the late ’90s when Lars Iversen launched his career as a jazz pianihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifst when he was only a teen. After discovering David Bowie, he turned a corner, incorporating rock ’n’ roll into his repertoire. In his tiny apartment, Lars and his brother built their own studio and began experimenting, making beats and loops, cutting and sampling, learning the basic recording skills that way. Around this time, Lars crossed paths with Mette Lindberg, who he dubbed “the coolest singer in Copenhagen.” From there The Asteroids Galaxy Tour was born. In 2008, the band reached instant global exposure when their song “Around The Bend” was featured in an Apple iPod Touch advertisement. Their music has also appeared in Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries and CSI Miami. “Around The Bend” was also one of the key tracks to the R.J. Cuttler documentary "The September Issue", based on Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

TAGT - The Golden Age (elecoustic version)
TAGT@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Mates Of State - Maracas
(from Mountaintops, out September 13th on Barsuk Records)

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Atari Teenage Riot, Mount Moriah, Daniel Isaiah

2011-05-04T16:39:00.003+02:00

Reignited German/American cyberpunks Atari Teenage Riot have booked a return trip to America this Fall. With information warfare, net neutrality, government opacity, and human trafficking all in the news, Atari Teenage Riot’s 4th album Is This Hyperreal?, out digitally June 7th on LA Electro-stomp label Dim Mak, is their most topical yet. Atari Teenage Riot starts their campaign for justice across America in September. For a taste of the hardcore digital punk of Is This Hyperreal? check out the riotgrrl energy of "Blood In My Eyes" tale of human trafficking and "Activate!" a hyper-kinetic death ray call to action.

Atari Teenage Riot - Blood In My Eyes
Atari Teenage Riot - Activate!
Atari Teenage Riot@MySpace

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Heather McEntire (of post-punk veterans Bellafea) and Jenks Miller (of heavy-psych/metal outfit Horseback) met in 2005, while working at a record store in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. After collaborating (as Un Deux Trois) on the the stripped-down, pop-inflected Lovers EP (Holidays for For Quince Records, 2007), they established Mount Moriah as an outlet for their mutual interest in classic American folk and rock music. Mount Moriah's 2010 EP, The Letting Go, highlighted the band's thematic range, moving from delicate acoustic narratives to a dark, fuzzed-out, soulful stomper in just three tracks. Mount Moriah's long-awaited, self-titled debut is cut from the same cloth, offering a far-reaching and non-traditional take on classic folk themes like devotion, tribulation, redemption, and an indelible sense of place.

Mount Moriah - Lament
Mount Moriah - Only Way Out
Mount Moriah@MySpace

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Daniel Isaiah was born in Montreal and has been writing songs and leading bands there all his life, from very early teenaged days in the Harry Rags, to his later endeavours with Shoot the Moon and Percy Farm. (He has since begun using an abbreviated version of his actual name, Daniel Isaiah Schachter, as his stage name). He signed to Secret City Records in 2010 to record his first solo album, High Twilight. Daniel is also an award-winning filmmaker, and is just as likely to draw inspiration from Federico Fellini or Ingmar Bergman as Leonard Cohen or Lou Reed. His 2008 short film, Three Mothers, won the A&E Short Filmmaker Award in 2009, and his latest, L’homme qui se croyait l’eau, recently screened at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Daniel Isaiah - High Twilight
Dainel Isaiah@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Richard Buckner - Traitor
(from Our Blood, out August 2nd on Merge Records)

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Maritime, Armand Margjeka, Wolf Ram Heart

2011-04-06T13:01:00.004+02:00

Maritime originally formed with members of the Promise Ring and Dismemberment Plan in 2003. They went on to sign to Anti- but released their J. Robbin's produced debut, Glass Floor, on Desoto Records. The latest lineup includes Promise Ring alumni Davey von Bohlen (guitar, voice) and Dan Didier (drums) as well as Justin Klug (bass) and Dan Hinz (guitar). Their newest album, Human Hearts, is being released by Dangerbird Records.

Maritime - Paraphernalia/People Of London
Maritime@MySpace

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People often talk of music opening new worlds for them, but perhaps this means more to someone like Armand Margjeka. Margjeka grew up in Tropoja, an Albanian town at the foot of the Alps. "Tropoja was one of the most isolated villages in an isolhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifated country," Margjeka says. The communist regime he grew up with was oppressive, but somehow a mix tape of American rock n' roll found its way into Margjeka's hands. "Maybe my sister brought it back from university, I don't remember, but hearing Elvis, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard changed my life." It's been a long journey from Tropoja to Birmingham, Ala. for Margjeka, but he's clearly at home making music that brings to mind Sondre Lerche and the beautiful arrangements of Iron and Wine. Margjeka's first solo album, Margo, Margo, is due out August 9.

Armand Margjeka - Alive
Armand Margjeka@MySpace

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A psychedelic-dark-pop group from Ohio, Wolf Ram Heart is bent on marrying art with popular music. Their new album, Betrayal of Hearts, is a hybrid of pop's faded echoing sensibilities, molded into a modern space, and created in a way that allows these sounds to transform. Influenced by the productions of Phil Spector and Brian Wilson as much as 4AD and Creation Records acts of the early 90’s, the band's music at times reflects these heavily layered moments and deceptively complex melodies held together with a string of mood and space, sewn into a beautiful and warm patchwork of something quite new.

Wolf Ram Heart - Humming Doves
Wolf Ram Heart - Viewgirls
Wolf Ram Heart@Facebook

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SONG OF THE DAY: They Might Be Giants - Can't Keep Johnny Down
(from Join Us, out April 26th via iTunes)

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Athletes In Paris, The High Dials, Mathew Sawyer And The Ghosts

2011-03-15T14:20:00.003+01:00

Athletes In Paris are an Indie Pop band from Newcastle, UK. The band belly their innovative and catchy pop-thrills upon you with chanted gang-vocals, frantically muted guitar picking, Latin-percussion grooves and pumping bass lines - you could do worse than to Imagine Earth, Wind and Fire, Friendly Fires, Jack Penate and Prefab Sprout in one big northern melting pot, but then you'd only be getting an idea. Their highly anticipated single 'Borrowed Time' will be released on The Animal Farm, April 4th.

Athletes In Paris - Borrowed Time
Athletes In Paris@MySpace

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The High Dials are a psychedelic pop band from Montreal. Swirling guitars, 3-part harmonies and timeless songcraft combine to make anthemic power pop sometimes shaded with shoegaze and folk elements. Their recordings have been hailed by NME, Spin and the New York Post who called them a “must-see band”. They have toured extensively, including stints with Brian Jonestown Massacre, Neko Case and a recent support slot for Echo & the Bunnymen. “Anthems for Doomed Youth” is their fourth full-length album and sees them return to Rainbow Quartz Records, where they debuted in 2003. Anthems for Doomed Youth, The High Dials’ 5th release and their 3rd full-length is the band’s most authentic and mature work to date. It comes closest to capturing the energy of the band’s live sound and offers a snapshot of the band’s creative evolution, with triumphant returns to their jangly 60s roots as well as the moodier territory of later releases.

The High Dials - Chinese Boxes
The High Dials@MySpace

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Mathew John Sawyer (born 1977 Hammersmith, England) is a British visual artist and musician, who lives and works in London and Athens. His band 'Mathew Sawyer and The Ghosts' are signed to Fire Records (UK). They have two albums available: 'Blue Birds Blood' (2007) originally released on Stolen Recordings and Catbird Records (US) and 'How Snakes Eat' (2010). In 2007 'Mathew Sawyer and The Ghosts' played the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the Meltdown (festival) curated by Jarvis Cocker. Sawyer's artwork has been shown internationally in solo, and group exhibitions, including The Distance Between Me and You (Lisson Gallery), Documentary Creations (Museum of Art Luzern), Protest and Survive (Whitechapel Art Gallery) and Frieze Art Fair. After the cult success of Blue Birds Blood in 2008, Mathew Sawyer and his Ghosts are back again with eleven new laments, How Snakes Eat, being released in the United States via Fire Records at March 15th, 2011.

Mathew Sawyer and The Ghosts - Revenge Of The Extra From Zulu
Mathew Sawyer and his Ghosts - Mynah Birds Call
Mathew Sawyer and The Ghosts@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: J Mascis - Not Enough
(from Several Shades Of Why, out March 15th on Sub Pop)

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Vandaveer, Sandwitches, Easter Island

2011-03-02T14:20:00.005+01:00

Mark Charles Heidinger is the alt-folk tunesmith behind the song-singing, record-making, globetrotting project that is Vandaveer. Born in Ohio, raised in Kentucky and now living in Washington, DC, Heidinger is joined by the extraordinary Rose Guerin in Vandaveer. They met during the heyday of DC’s folk collective known as The Federal Reserve. Informal collaborations during that time led to Guerin becoming a fixture in Vandaveer. Their two voices together create harmonies that convey truth and emotion with the greatest of ease. Their third full-length album, Dig Down Deep, will be released on April 26th via Supply & Demand Music.

Vandaveer - Concerning Past & Future Conquests
Vandaveer@MySpace

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San Francisco's Sandwitches have been plugging away at their craft for a couple magical years now, sprinkling their barbed, alluring electric folk briars across unsuspecting gardens in the Bay Area and beyond. Previous releases, such as the swampy ecstasy of How To Make Ambient Sadcake and last year's oceanic ouija board of an EP, Duck Duck Goose!, captured distinct sides of the trio. Their latest platter, Mrs. Jones' Cookies (out March 29th via Empty Cellar Records), is here now to unify their uniquely whimsical and creepy vision.

Sandwitches - Joe Says
Sandwitches - Lightfoot
Sandwitches@MySpace

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Easter Island‘s progressive sound is re-forging the middle-class angst pop that defined the mid 90s and early 00s. This impressive group of classically trained guys hail from Athens, GA and have been playing together in a carousel of revolving bands since 2005, when vocalist Ethan Payne met lead guitarist Nathan Thompson. Payne (formerly of The Cubs, Union & Corduroy Road) has worked in the film industry for the past three years as a freelance shooter/editor/boom operator. As Easter Island forges a following in the South, their EP Better Things will be released March 1st. Better Things was produced by Five-Eight drummer Patrick Ferguson, at the newly renovated and reopened 1093 Boulevard Studio in Athens. They have already begun work on their next release, full of even more delicious sounds, galvanizing lyrics, and their emotive vocals. The band will celebrate the release of the EP with a special show at The Caledonia Lounge (Athens, GA) on March 26th with friends Five Eight and Little Horn.

Easter Island - Better Things
Easter Island - Proud
Easter Island@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Mogwai - San Pedro
(from Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will, out February 15th on Sub Pop)

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Dinosaur Bones, Jail Weddings, Zoey Van Goey

2011-02-10T16:20:00.003+01:00

Toronto-based Dinosaur Bones are prepping the release of their debut LP, My Divider, on March 8th, 2011 via Dine Alone Records. My Divider is being recorded with Jon Drew (Tokyo Police Club, Fucked Up, Arkells). He also recorded and mixed the Birthright EP.
Having already shared stages with the likes of Man Man, Arkels, Handsome Furs, Crystal Antlers and Plants and Animals, the band have rightly earned their place in the indie pop scene of Toronto. Now they bring their sound stateside. They’ll also be touring Canada in April with Tokyo Police Club and will be playing the main stage at the famed Edgefest in Toronto this year, sharing the bill with A Perfect Circle and Rise Against.

Dinosaur Bones - Royalty
Dinosaur Bones@MySpace

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Los Angeles' garage-punk revision of 60s chamber pop, Jail Weddings has launched an endeavor as ambitious as the 10-piece band's size. Starting with the release of the video for "I Thought You Were Someone I Knew", Jail Weddings will release new videos for each of the 13 songs on their recent album, Love Is Lawless. Fronted by Gabriel Hart (explosive frontman and mastermind behind the now defunct LA noir punks The Starvations), Jail Weddings is often described as "Nick Cave fronting The Shangri-Las." The band has carefully crafted these 13 songs over a three year period (since their actual inception in the summer of 2007), released October 2010 on the still skidding heels of two sold out singles and 2009's critically acclaimed EP Inconvenient Dreams (White Noise/Tru-Vow).

Jail Weddings - I Thought You Were Someone I Knew
Jail Weddings@MySpace

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Zoey Van Goey is a band made up of Matt Brennan, Michael John McCarthy, and Kim Moore. Hailing from Canada, Ireland, and England respectively, they met in Glasgow, Scotland, and started making music together (Adam Scott joined as a fourth member in 2010). They released two singles on vinyl, first 'Foxtrot Vandals' (produced by Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian) and then 'Sweethearts In Disguise.' Then they got around to releasing their first full-length album, 'The Cage Was Unlocked All Along,' which was produced by Paul Savage (Delgados, Phantom Band, Mogwai) and is out now.

Zoey Van Goey - My Aviator
Zoey Van Goey@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Strokes - Under Cover Of Darkness
(from Angels, out March 22th on Sony Records)

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The Best Albums Of 2010

2010-12-20T14:54:00.002+01:00

As usual, here are the Indie Surfer's picks for the best albums of the year.

10. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me

09. Frog Eyes - Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph

08. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today

07. The Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

06. Beach House - Teen Dream

05. The National - High Violet

04. The Black Keys - Brothers

03. Wolf Parade - EXPO 86

02. Titus Adronicus - The Monitor

01. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Shapers, La Femme, Tristen, Pujol

2010-11-25T18:15:00.007+01:00

Chicago's Shapers arrived with an eruption! The newly formed four piece bonded based on a shared passion for sonic explorations. The resulting material playfully experiments with atmospheric waves, ambient soundscapes, squalling jazz blasts and pulsing Kraut-rock. Their debut album Little, Big, released last winter, garnered massive praise around their hometown. Whistler Records is releasing Shapers next missive, Happy Birthday Polywog, on November 16th and the band will hit the road to the East Coast and back. With plans for a new album and full US tour this spring, the band will certainly to ascend far and wide.

Shapers - Virginia Reel
Shapers - Nadya Lions And The Imposing Peril Of A Brand New World
Shapers@MySpace

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As La Femme prepares to for their first U.S. gigs, the band remains an enigma. Hailing from Paris, the group walks the line between erotic avant-pop and lo-fi surf rock. Their music can be flippantly light-hearted or aggressively dark depending on their mood. The one thing is clear though: La Femme is part of the 2010s, a decade that has yet to be written. La Femme will be spending the next 2 months in the U.S.A., playing the East Coast and creating general mischief. Keep an eye out for the band’s debut EP set for release on December 13th on 3rd Side Records.

La Femme - Sur La Planche
La Femme@MySpace

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Tristen is the 87th most popular baby name in the United States, and has been consistently among the top 1,000 names given to baby boys since 1971. From the Old French Tristran, which is from the Gaelic Drystan, a name derived from drest (tumult, riot). The name was borne in medieval legend by a knight who was sent to Israel by King Mark of Cornwall to bring Isolde back to be the king's bride. On the return trip, Tristan and Isolde accidentally drank a love potion intended for the king and fell in love. Tristan left to fight for King Howel of Brittany and, seriously wounded in battle, sent for Isolde. She arrived too late and died from grief next to Tristan's deathbed. The tale was the subject of many popular tragedies during the Middle Ages... Tristen is currently in the middle of a South East tour, ending December 4th in Nashville, TN with an in store 7" release show at Grimey's New and Pre Loved Music. She will be releasing her full-length Charlatans At The Garden Gate on the 1st of February 2011. Recommended!

Tristen - Baby Drugs
Tristen - Eager For Your Love
Tristen@MySpace

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Pujol was raised in Tullahoma, Tennessee, where he lived in a haunted house which sat one block away from the wrong side of the tracks. He spent his formative years scribbling on walls, shredding behind closed doors, and riding around in cars with older kids. He took his first communion at 13 and secretly drank his first beer shortly thereafter in St. Cecilia's bathroom, emerging an identity-inclusive Peter Panentheist. Pujol's "Black Rabbit" 7" is out now on Third Man Records. Look out for his upcoming limited edition 7", "No Feeling", out later this month on Turbo Time Records.

Pujol - Too Safe
Pujol@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Puppini Sisters - Last Christmas
(from Christmas With The Puppini Sisters, out 2010 on Verve Records)

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Jenny O, Wildlife, The White Buffalo

2010-11-12T15:51:00.004+01:00

Jenny O. is an artist whose musical career has been in the works since she was a toddler, and now we're pleased to announce the details of her debut EP, Home, which will be released digitally on November 30th via Manimal Vinyl Records (also home to Bat For Lashes and Warpaint), with details for the physical release coming soon. Though she’s performed in countless bands, Home is surprisingly her first solo release (which she produced and engineered herself). On the EP, you can hear influences as varied as wide-eyed folk, jazz-fueled hip hop, and 60s & 70s pop. The lyrics are irresistibly frank and evocative, especially sung by her fresh, soaring voice. Throughout the tracks, the light-hearted, sunny L.A. vibe is always present. Recommended!

Jenny O. - Well Ok Honey
Jenny O.@MySpace

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Wildlife is between the ages of 26 and 29, fun, funny and mostly single. Their interests involve sending their own brand of harmonies, flashing guitars and swirling synthesizer hooks down through the bedrock filters of noise, infectious pop, and electronic mess. They boast one of this country's most talented rhythm sections. The songs they write are crafted, a labour of science and love. Thier live shows have made people sweat, jump, dance, scream, cry, sing, fight or stand there and order pizza. They love their friends, their mothers, their parties and their pets. Wildlife announced the release of their first full-length album Strike Hard, Young Diamond on November 16th, which comes at the heels of their EP of the same name. Recorded with Michael Keire and Glen Marshall (Feist, Apostle of Hustle, Dark Mean), Strike Hard, Young Diamond furthers an understanding of what it is to be naive and full of spark: it embraces our failures, nurtures our successes; and most importantly, it celebrates them. Recommended!

Wildlife - 3 Songs Sampler
Wildlife@MySpace

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The White Buffalo represents an authentic homage to the times of hard touring, hard drinking artists who truly lived what they sang about. Seamlessly moving from heartfelt ballads to raucous bar songs, The White Buffalo sings with integrity and pensive reflection as he wanders the road, sharing his music. Everything about him is big, from his imposing physical size to his amazing vocal range. From his whiskey-drenched, growling lows to his heart stopping highs, The White Buffalo paints a touching picture, whether he stands alone or performs with his energetic band. Fresh off his tour with Angus and Julia Stone, The White Buffalo embarks upon yet another headlining US tour with the release of the new EP. Recommended!

The White Buffalo - Oh Darlin' What Have I Done
The White Buffalo@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Modern Skirts - Bumper Car
(from Gramahawk, out January 18th 2011, self-released)

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Teletextile, Waxx Maxx, Generationals, Pepper Rabbit

2010-10-28T17:14:00.005+02:00

Teletextile is the creation of multi-instrumentalist (Harp, Piano, Violin, Guitar) and vocalist Pamela Martinez. She just finished making her Reflector EP with Producer Al Carlson (GAMES, Oneohtrix Point Never, St. Vincent). She recorded with her primary band members Caitlin Gray (Bass, Guitar, Vocals) and Luke Scheiders (Drums, Bells). And a lot of friends in bands played on the EP as well, including Brian Hamilton (Cymbals Eat Guitars), Anysley Powel (Tigercity, St. Vincent), Elliot Krimsky (Glass Ghost), and Dave Sheinkopf (The Subjects.

Teletextile - What If I
Teletextile - I Don't Know How To Act Here
Teletextile@MySpace

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The threesome that is Waxx Maxx assembled in the Spring of 2010 in Minneapolis. Waxx Maxx was originally a collaboration between established producer/guitarist Mark Mallman and vocalist Nicole Godiva. The drumming talents of Alyssa Marie (NG's sister) were added later to compliment the budding sounds being created. The trio is releasing one track per month at their website: www.waxxmaxx.com You can also find tour dates at the site as well as videos (in the future).

Waxx Maxx - Eaten Alive
Waxx Maxx - Phenomena
Waxx Maxx - Celine And Julie Go Boating
Waxx Maxx@MySpace

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New Orleans sunny indie poppers Generationals recently announced the details of their brand new EP, Trust, which will be hitting all digital stores on 11/16 via Park The Van (iTunes gets it a week early, on 11/9). In their second release, the band is audibly transitioning from a jangling, sun-kissed sound in the vein of Aztec Camera or Felt to pop drones distinctly more hypnotic, textured, and challenging to conjure accurate comparisons for.

Generationals - Trust
Generationals@MySpace

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Recording sessions often take unexpected turns. At least, that's what happened when Los Angeles songwriter Xander Singh began tracking his solo album with drummer Luc Laurent. The pair quickly realized an unusually strong musical connection between them, and decided that they needed to form a band. Armed with some additional samplers and loops, Xander and Luc began performing under the name Pepper Rabbit. Since then, the psych-pop duo has been building quite a following both live and on the interwebs, counting among their fans fellow L.A. darlings Local Natives, with whom they’ve toured. This week Pepper Rabbit released their debut LP, Beauregard on Brooklyn’s Kanine Records (Surfer Blood, Depreciation Guild).

Pepper Rabbit - Babette!
Pepper Rabbit@MySpace

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FREE MUSIC:
The Cartakers - Daddy Laughed (EP)

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SONG OF THE DAY: Lykke Li - Get Some
(from Get Some/Paris Blue EP, out October 2010)

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Shellshag, Street Eaters, The Driftwood Singers

2010-10-14T16:32:00.004+02:00

In attempts to dance about Shellshag's architecture, they've been explained as an amalgam of The Breeders, Sonic Youth, The Ramones, DFA, David Byrne, Guided By Voices, Moldy Peaches and early Superchunk—and, because they're a male guitarist/female drummer duo, those touch points (Jack and Meg, Matt and Kim, Juicifer) get tossed around like so much confetti, too. They've played with everyone from Iggy Pop, The Slits, The Cramps, Lightning Bolt and J. Mascis to Evan Dando, Les Savy Fav, Shonen Knife and their label mates Screaming Females, and their first (and now out of print) Gary Young EP was recorded by Pavement's Gary Young in 2004. Together, Johnny "Shell" and Jen "Shag", have forged a legacy on both coasts over the course of this crazy thing we call life: as seminal members of the '90s DIY scene in San Francisco, they ran the now-legendary public arts space Starcleaners, the former home of the Dandy Warhols, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Residents and others, they launched their own label of the same name, releasing Destroy Me, I'm Yours in 2007, and they moved to Brooklyn, forming Shellshag and becoming integral members of the Jersey-based Don Giovanni family of artists and musicians.

Shellshag - Resiliant Bastard
Shellshag@MySpace

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Street Eaters from Oakland, Ca. will be releasing two new songs on a 7" picture disc, the first picture disc release on Starcleaner Records, on November 8th. Starcleaner Records is the record label founded and ran by Shellshag whom you might remember from their album (of the year?), Rumors In Disguise, that came out earlier this year on New Jersey's stellar Don Giovanni records. Both Megan March and Johnny Geek, equal parts of Street Eaters, were born and raised in the Bay Area of California where they met Shellshag. Their sound teeters back and forth from bellowed call and response vocals alongside blown out bass and drums to shared melodies complete with enough "whoah-oh"s and "hey"s to get stuck in your head for days.

Street Eaters - Useless Eyes
Street Eaters@MySpace

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While most of their contemporaries are surfing the blogosphere daily to figure out what new hip direction they should take their band in to get some notice, LA’s Driftwood Singers have taken a very un-contemporary route. The duo of Kris Hutson and Pearl Charles play a simpler kind of folk that one might’ve heard on the southern front porches of 1930’s America. The Driftwood Singers debut EP, Look! carries on where their demo’s left off. After attempting to record the songs in a studio, they decided to record them at home on a hand held cassette recorder that was then cleaned up in mastering. The resulting 5 songs are showcased in a way that lets you feel the warm crackle of the phonograph they appear to be coming from. Inspired by beat poetry and murder ballads, songs like “Coco Ellis”, “Come Across the Tracks” and “Rosalee Little” are irresistible gems for anyone with an old soul and an ear for the yester year.

The Driftwood Singers - Coco Ellis
The Driftwood Singers@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Avey Tare - Lucky 1
(from Down There, out October 26th on Paw Tracks)

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WATCH LIVE: Black Francis - The Golem (DVD)
(out November 16th exclusively from Black Francis Web Store)

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Led To Sea, Exray's, Deep Sea Arcade

2010-10-07T16:44:00.004+02:00

Led to Sea is the solo project of Seattle-based violist Alex Guy and after spending recent years as a touring musician with Mirah and Laura Veirs, Led To Sea is proud to release her new album of beautiful orchestral and stripped-down songs for viola and voice. Into The Darkening Sky is currently available nationwide. With Andrew Bird and St. Vincent comparisons abound, her voice has a hypnotic quality to it, when coupled with her viola, silence the audience.

Led To Sea - Is This The Last Time
Led To Sea@MySpace

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Exray's slips through the genre cracks and past the time bandits to deliver an eclectic new voice. The San Francisco based duo of Jon Bernson and Michael Falsetto-Mapp specialize in lo-fi grime pop, undeniable songs and man versus machine experimentation. Throw in some precarious beats, voice mail vocals, plenty of short-circuited melodies and you have undusted yet addictive gems for an imperfect future. Their debut cassette EP 'Ammunition Teeth' is released on 10.12.10 via the Howells Transmitter art collective & label (it will also be available digitally). The Exray's S/T LP will arrive on 1.25.11.

Exray's - Hesitation
Exray's@MySpace

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Sydney’s Deep Sea Arcade’s reverberated pop recalls Portishead and The Zombies yet with a character and charm that is undeniably unique. Ethereal guitars and lyrical quirks will transport the listener to a dark, watery world of mystery and enchantment, and leave their heads swimming with unforgettable melodies. As winners of the Hopetoun’s 2008 Homebake/EMI incentive and with appearances at Peat’s Ridge Festival and Playground Weekender, Deep Sea Arcade have also played shows with Aussie acts such as Bluejuice, Expatriate, Yves Klein Blue, Holly Throsby, Jack Ladder and Philadelphia Grand Jury, Whitley and Kid Sam.

Deep Sea Arcade - Keep On Walking
Deep Sea Arcade@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Rye Rye feat. MIA - Sunshine
(from Go! Pop! Bang!, out 2011 on N.E.E.T/Interscope Records)

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Bird By Snow, Suuns, In Grenada

2010-09-28T11:21:00.004+02:00

Recording as Bird By Snow, Fletcher Tucker has been releasing deep, genre-refracting sounds for the past five years with his output varying from dreamy drones to eccentric lo-fi pop to mountainous dub. His latest effort Common Wealth finds Tucker masterfully refining his songcraft with powerful arrangements, graceful melodies, and moving poetic imagery. Today, The FADER premieres one of the upcoming album's many highlights "There Is A Marriage". The songs on Common Wealth feel harvested (rather than written) from somewhere ancient, mysterious, and otherworldly. Recorded with Tim Green and arranged in collaboration with percussionist Spencer Owen, the album embraces the West African and dub influences hinted at on Bird By Snow's previous work.

Bird By Snow - There Is A Marriage
Bird By Snow - Friends In the City
Bird By Snow@MySpace

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Suuns were born during the summer of 2006 when vocalist/guitarist Ben Shemie and guitarist/bassist Joe Yarmush got together to make some beats which quickly evolved into a few songs. The duo were soon joined by drummer Liam O'Neill and bassist/keyboardist Max Henry to complete the line-up. Last year, Suuns entered Breakglass Studios with Jace Lasek of the Besnard Lakes co-producing and engineering, and recorded their first album. The group wanted to create something that couldn't be pigeonholed as simply indie rock. he resulting Zeroes QC is a warm yet dark, propulsive collusion of pop, post-punk and experimental rock – one that allows the group to musically shapeshift without losing any of the sense of tension and unease that runs throughout the record.

Suuns - Up Past The Nursery
Suuns - Arena
Suuns@MySpace

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In Grenada was born from the ashes of Philadelphia’s premier ukulele indie-rock band, Movable Type, during the summer of 2007. Now, they make their presence felt with their debut release, Break, coming out nationally tomorrow, September 28th. Stuck with a few left over songs and an environmental conscience, songwriter/instrumentalist Jesse Leyh plucked the tunes from the trash and saved them for his compost heap. Over the next two years those first few songs grew in the fertile environs of a home studio, watered by a monsoon of shifting and breaking relationships and the pressures of finding a new place in the world and life. Beginning in 2008 a fleshy incarnation of In Grenada was assembled for playing shows and being seen on the street. Ranging from four to seven people depending on the season and the show, In Grenada continued to grow into “one of the most tuneful, fired-up pop groups Philly currently has.” In the fall of 2009, the recorded song count began to approach 20 strong, and it became clear that the ripest fruits needed to be picked. The self-released Break is labor of all those fruits. The 10 songs that comprise Break draw inspiration equally from the pain of country, the joy of pop and the attitude of rock 'n' roll, and those inspirations are represented musically in layers of cowboy-harmonicas, shimmering guitars and thundering toms.

In Grenada - Hills (Flooded Valleys)
In Grenada - Distance And Temptation
In Grenada@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Concretes - Good Evening
(from WYWH, out November 8th at Friendly Fire Recordings)

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Parlovr

2010-09-22T16:44:00.003+02:00

A cheap Kmart guitar with its guts ripped out, a two-piece drum kit and a keyboard with a mind of its own would all be alone if they weren't all thrown in the mess that PARLOVR got them in when they stumbled together in the wintry months of 2006. Reacting against the multi-instrumental, many-membered orchestral bands that crowded the local Montreal scene at the time, PARLOVR was started with the intention of blowing amps and streamlining pop melodies, bringing back the power-trio of the 90s with an off-the-wall twist.

PARLOVR's self-titled debut LP (Independent, 2008) was produced and recorded by Martin Horn at Digital Bird Studios over the course of six weeks and has brought into focus each of the three members' unique personalities while not losing sight of their pell-mell live show.

At October 19th PARLOVR is to release Heaven/Hell/Big/Love EP. The songs on the EP were formed around 'Hell, Heaven', a tune the band started playing a little over a year ago at shows. The idea was to craft 3-4 other additional songs in the studio without any rehearsals or premeditated parts. We also wanted create 4-5 pieces that had no direct thematic connection to one another. While 'Hell, Heaven' has me abstractly meandering through the thoughts of a childhood spent in the middle east, 'Big Love' invokes a more sarcastic, cheeky side of the band with Louis crooning about an ex-girlfriend who has the 'look of a man'. 'Where Is The Sun' and 'Tehching Hsieh' each show a more surreal side of Parlovr's epic reach: 'Where Is The Sun' has a dreamy romantic punch and 'Tehching Hsieh' is a twisted bio-tune (biographical tune!?) of an obsure 70s performance artist.

The result is a collection of songs that feel like flipping through cable t.v. channels in a roadside motel while half asleep. It's an epic meets tongue-in-cheek set of songs, with melodies that contrast quickly from catchy to twisted, and guitars and drums that go from pell mell to streamlined, sometimes several times within song. Even the bass synth can't settle down into one kind of emotional pattern. It's all amused chaos from afar, but pretty thick and holistic when listened to up close.

Like Parlovr's self-titled debut, the EP was recorded with Martin Horn at Digital Bird Studios in Montreal, intermittently while the band found breaks from various tours. A lot of Roland Space Echo was used, as well as an old analog snythesizer called a Yamaha CS-5. Recommended!

Parlovr - Heaven, Hell
Parlovr - Pen To The Paper
Parlovr - Archy & Mehitabel
Parlovr@MySpace

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FREE ALBUM:

Another surprise from a Dead Oceans artist! John Vanderslice recently completed an EP that he's giving away to his fans on his website. From JV himself:

Happy fall everyone. I've had a good year of recording, working at Tiny Telephone, buying all kinds of crazy heirloom tomatoes at the Alemany farmer's market, and living the domestic life. Let's celebrate by downloading my new EP, Green Grow The Rushes.

John Vanderslice - Green Grown The Rushes (EP)

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SONG OF THE DAY: Red Sparowes - Giving Birth To Imagined Saviors
(from The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer, out April 6th on Sargent House)

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Brazilian Money, Dead Confederate, She Sir, etc.

2010-08-23T11:08:00.005+02:00

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Brazilian Money are a double-drumming four piece from Edmonton, Alberta. Writer Garrett Johnson started in Edmonton's tightest band (The Mitts) and quickly parted for Edmonton's loosest band (The Wicked Awesomes!). Brazilian Money have released one EP to "critical" acclaim and successfully completed a cross-Canada tour. Continuing with their omnifarious pop flirtations, Brazilian Money’s follow-up to the hugely popular Friendly Neighbor EP is a monstrous attack against the DIY pop vernacular. Existing in the inexplicable pop-punk-fringe territory, Doing What I Want contains four wild adventures into chromatic catchiness, granular distortion, and anthemic harmonies. Exhaust the air in your lungs with every attempt to sing along. Released via Edmonton’s newest vinyl imprint, Totally Disconnected. Recommended!

Brazilian Money - Doing What I Want
Brazilian Money - Gold Chains
Brazilian Money - Bones
Brazilian Money - Macaroni Makeout Party
Brazilian Money@MySpace

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Winter storms are punishingly cold and uncomfortable, but are an important source of water for spring growth. Likewise for Dead Confederate, the series of New Jersey blizzards that besieged the recording of sophomore album Sugar (a reference to the record snowfall) also heralded growth from the darker, somber realm of their critically acclaimed Wrecking Ball. With an evolving approach and focused, streamlined sound, Sugar explores new styles beyond the aching, bleak psychadelia of the debut. Recommended!

Dead Confederate - Run From The Gun
Dead Confederate @MySpace

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Russell Karloff and M. Grusha formed She Sir at college. After their first record ‘Who Can’t Say Yes’ climbed into the top 100 on the CMJ charts back in 2006 (it was also named one of the best of the decade by The San Francisco Appeal) they set out to solidify and expound upon their brand of art-rock. The follow-up, ‘Yens’, took years to make but it contains the blueprints for the future She Sir sound. The band is currently hard at work recording their third and most radical release working with legendary producer Erik Wofford at Cacophony Recorders (White Denim, Black Angels, Okkervil River). Recommended!

She Sir - Lemongrass
She Sir@MySpace

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FREE ALBUMS:

Joseph James is a singer/songwriter from the South Coast of the UK, and he has been really busy over the past few months writing and recording an EP titled "The Summer Songs And Sing Alongs EP" which is released on August 1st 2010, and is available for free download!

Joseph James - The Summer Songs And Sing Alongs EP
Joseph James@MySpace

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Tin Pan Alley is a powerpop quartet from Bydgoszcz/Toruń (Poland). Thier music unites sunny, light-hearted and mellow melodies with dissonance and distorted sound of post-punk and noise-rock but also draws inspiration from the post-rock movement of the "Windy City" in 90's. Their live performances are full of spontaneous ideas, energy, humour, improvisation and psychodelic passages.

Tin Pan Alley - EP
Tin Pan Alley@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY:

Villagers - Becoming A Jackal
(from Becoming A Jackal, out June 8 on Domino Records)

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Ganglians, S.Carey, Jarrod Gorbel

2010-08-12T15:00:00.004+02:00

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Falling somewhere between the noise-pop of bands like Wavves and Woods and the blissed-out psychedelia of the Beach Boys, Sacramento, CA’s Ganglians features Ryan Grubbs, Kyle Hoover, Alex Sowles, and Adrian Comenzind. The band spent much of 2008 recording, and their debut single, a limited-edition split 7" with Eat Skull, appeared in January 2009 on Dulc-i-Tone Records. The band’s tours and releases came quickly after that, with an appearance at that year’s South by Southwest festival that March and a self-titled EP and a full-length album, Monster Head Room, arriving within weeks of each in May on the hip lo-fi label Woodsist.

Ganglians - My House (demo)
Ganglians @ MySpace

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The debut album from S. Carey, All We Grow, is the result of a young lifetime spent immersed in music. As a band member of Bon Iver from the very beginning, Sean Carey witnessed a flip of his formal training to step firmly into a worldwide-touring rock band. His performance degree in classical percussion from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and his love for jazz drumming prepared him for a central role in the inspiring force of the Bon Iver live show. All We Grow is a classic album born without expectation and met with adoration - a cathartic result of Carey's extraordinary and vibrant life experiences that resonates loss, dreams and heart in a manner so instantly relatable, you feel as though you can touch it.

S. Carey - In The Stream
S. Carey - In The Dirt
S. Carey@MySpace

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Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Jarrod Gorbel, formerly of The Honorary Title, will release his first solo album Devil's Made a New Friend August 31 on independent label Burning-house Records and his own imprint, Gorbel Music. Blake Sennett (of Rilo Kiley and The Elected) produced the album, which features many collaborations and a band made up of members of Rilo Kiley, Black Crowes, Mystic Valley Band, and Azure Ray. After several years performing under the moniker The Honorary Title (which eventually evolved into a full-fledged quartet praised by Spin and Rolling Stone,) Devil's Made a New Friend is Jarrod's debut full-length release under his own name. The peaks and valleys of both his musical career and personal life resulted in this candid, passionate collection of songs, which sees Jarrod looking to classic soul, traditional folk and Americana for inspiration.

Jarrod Gorbel - I'll Do Better
Jarrod Gorbel@MySpace

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FREE ALBUMS:
VA - Dance To The Radio - DIGITAL EP

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SONG OF THE DAY: Arab Strap - Daughters Of Darkness
(previously unreleased)

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Fox In The Henhouse, Tjutjuna, Shapes And Sizes, Invisible Elephant, ...

2010-08-05T16:49:00.005+02:00

After moving from coast to coast, and spending two years writing and recording, Wakefield's Ryan Escolopio has finally settled down in Baltimore, MD. Taking his pop punk roots to another level, Ryan broke into the indie rock scene with his new project Fox in the Henhouse - The Fox EP, on iBOT Records. The band's upcoming self-titled album, Fox in the Henhouse, unites his poignant lyrical styling with rollicking guitars to spark a number of crowd pleasers. The album, with standout tracks like “Fears,” which appeals to indie rock fans and non-indie rock fans alike, is set to release October 12, 2010.

Fox In The Henhouse - Fears
Fox In The Henhouse @ MySpace

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While art is certainly a form of self-expression, artistic communities tend to gravitate towards styles that fit within the popular pallet. Yet it is those fearless in their dissension that make the deepest mark. It is with that familiarity of the unknown that Tjutjuna have settled in a sound that is both rich in texture, and aural dynamics as well as a respect for the listener’s patience. Delicate in both their attack and release, Tjutjuna’s debut and self-titled album offers listeners moments of discreet levity before striking with fangs. Unwilling to merely satisfy the sonic trajectory which would label their sound as “psych rock”, Tjutjuna proves that in the recesses of a landlocked music scene, four childhood friends can craft something that forces us, as listeners, to demand more from our own tastes and imaginations. Tjutjuna is due out September 28th via Fire Talk, the new imprint from Woodsman's Trevor Peterson.

Tjutjuna - Bottle Kids
Tjutjuna @ MySpace

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Montreal's soulful, psych pop quartet, Shapes and Sizes, just released their third full-length this week. "Candle To Your Eyes" is three years in the making and worth every second of that wait. Some might talk about the album's flirtation with modern soul, its darkness, its reverberant space, or argue over whether or not it is a rock album. This kind of talk has no importance. At the core of this record is a self-assuredness, a calm, consistent fire. And just like the promise of this beautiful spring day, this record is a new beginning, new life.

Shapes And Sizes - Tell Your Mum
Shapes And Sizes - I Need An Outlet
Shapes And Sizes @ MySpace

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Invisible Elephant is the project of one man and his assortment of randomly acquired instruments, ranging from frog guiros to pre-school toy drum kits. These are melded together with found sounds, synthesizers and spectral vocals to create a dream-like wash of psychedelic noise which defies simple categorisation. Veering from ethereal softly-spoken psych folk to walls of monolithic feedback in a heartbeat, it's difficult to pin the sound down to one genre. The indefinable nature of Invisible Elephant's music isn't really surprising though given the huge influence it takes from the muddied existential narratives of Haruki Murakami as well as the hazy sounds of the likes of My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth. This informs the sound which fuses the kind of downbeat sincerity of freak-folk with the visceral force of shoegaze and the cinematic euphoria of post-rock. The end result is transcendental music which simultaneously exhibits subtlety, ferocity, discordance, melody and an acute ear for imbuing the familiar with the futuristic.

Invisible Elephant - Wind-Up Bird
Invisible Elephant @ MySpace

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FREE ALBUMS:
Alex Walker - Gotta Lose
The Internet - The Internet EP
Suuns - Zero EP

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Drums - Down By The Water
(from The Drums, out September 14th on Downtown Records)
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Abner Trio

2010-07-28T18:48:00.003+02:00

Boosted by a fearless, punch-you-in-the-face positivity that is both rare and refreshing, Abner Trio mash tumbling guitar lines, bewildering arrangements, and idiot-savant-spoken-word into songs that (amazingly) sound a lot like pop music. Beneath the weirdness, the music of Abner Trio contains an unwavering and highly developed pop-sensibility, brought to the forefront by their densely layered and meticulously arranged vocal melodies. Bothering very little with traditional song structures, Abner seems to allow the songs to move where they’re supposed to, lilting and bursting along like a feel-good Sebadoh gorged on US Maple.

Beginning in 2005, and releasing their first album Distant Thunder of the Sacred Force on Joyful Noise in 2006, Abner Trio has always been a band that thrives on the unique and organic interaction between band members. The intricately calculated yet gritty style of Clinton Hughey’s guitar work combines with Daniel Paquette’s stream of subconsciousness lyrics – which themselves seem to embrace a brave sense of humor (see: opening lines to “Scurvy Killers”) while channeling madmen and Old Testament prophets. Behind it all sits the patiently powerful drumming of Karl Hofstetter, punching in explosive accents when necessary, and seeming to thrive on the re-assemblage of simple beats into his own occasionally confounding patterns.

Abner Trio will release their second full-length, The Giant Crushes You, August 24, 2010 on Joyful Noise Recordings (founded by the band's drummer, Karl Hofstetter, and home to Joan Of Arc, Jookabox, Marmoset, Child Bite, among others). With The Giant Crushes You, Abner Trio have created an album that triangulates exactness, rawness and beauty. Nearly three years in the making, Abner Trio’s second full length is hands-down the most accomplished documentation of their mathy, artsy, honest, and all-around original blend of indie-rock. Recommended!

Abner Trio - You're Gorgeus, Believe It!
Abner Trio @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Pete Yorn - Precious Stone
(from self-titled album, out September 28th on Vagrant Records)

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The Joy Formidable

2010-07-13T14:52:00.003+02:00

The Joy Formidable was conceived by music-obsessed friends Ritzy Bryan and Rhydian Dafydd when they were both students in Wales. After a brief hiatus, they relocated to London, brought in drummer Matt Thomas, and got down to writing and recording a record. The resulting sound melds the huge expanses of the band members' native Welsh countryside with the hectic nature of their new London home. That sound has won them the praise of the highly influential NME and airplay on the UK's Radio 1.

The Joy Formidable has sold out multiple UK tours throughout the past year and supported several standout bands including Editors and The Temper Trap. After touring the UK with Passion Pit, the band was invited to join them as the opening act to their shows at New York's Terminal 5. Additionally, this past spring the wowed audiences on an East Coast run, prompting Spin on its website to laud their show at the Bamboozle as "best breakout performance " of the entire festival.

The band's eight-song debut EP A Balloon Called Moaning has been critically well-received, with SPIN calling the release "ambitious... drenched in...fuzzy bass, propelled by...driving percussion... the album transforms shoegaze's ear-stabbing reverb into something pretty, airy, girly...and sometimes dark." FILTER went on to say that The Joy Formidable "rocks like a grungier version of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs...joyous." The New York Times congratulated the songs' "cryptic lyrics that glint with urgency" and said that "the music regenerates the turbulent haze of 1990s shoegazer rock, but... it's less tormented and more anthemic, confident of the pop structures at its core." Highly Recommended!

The Joy Formidable - Live at the Relentless Garage, London 30 September 2009
The Joy Formidable @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Women - Eyesore
(from Public Strain, out September 28th on Jagjaguwar)

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The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!

2010-07-07T18:24:00.003+02:00

Founded in late 2007 as means for front man Neil Fridd to yell about his romantic mishaps, The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! has blossomed into a real juggernaut of epic dance floor revelation.

What do they sound like? It’s sorta dance-soul music, like synthed out Otis Redding covers on fast forward. Dance music with too many cooks in the kitchen, but in a good way, so not too many cooks, maybe just an above average amount of cooks. That is to say, there are sweet beats: your ass wants to shake, but there’s also like four vocals and two horn lines happening too, making for a unique, dense, dance floor throw down that’s suitable for both club rock outs and secluded headphone listening. But perhaps more than both of these, you’ll find yourself wanting to be listening to this music at a Halloween party with all your friends, because before TPDR were trying to make your head bob or your ass shake they were trying to make your heart feel something. Whether they’re singing about a new romance, old friends, or a magical thing that happens when the roads are too icy for professors to get to school, TPDR are singing about something that you’ve felt, and doing so with a humor and sincerity so often lacking in indie music. Scenes and events are set up so perfectly that on a late night, driving in your car in the middle of nowhere you feel every emotion they’re singing about deep down in your gut: you’ll be getting chills on the subway during your morning commute. These songs will make you long for every boy or girl you almost kissed in high school, chuckle to yourself about how stupid and great your friends are and make you want to go camping, stay up late, dance on your fire escape, have a potluck dinner, jump in piles of leaves, French kiss in the back of a movie theater and finally go out and cut down a real Christmas tree this year.

The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! have an album coming out on Luaka Bop this spring. It’s great. It’s ten tracks of absolute power. They’re touring the US nonstop starting in February with a new backing band called The Shakes. They’re now accepting summer barbecue invitations and really want to play someone’s senior prom like how the Spice Girls used to have competitions like that. The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! are touring in support of their Luaka Bop debut album I Love You. I Love You. I Love You And I'm In Love With You. Highly Recommended!

TPDR - Ride/Friendship
TDPR @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Neutral Uke Hotel - King Of Carrot Flowers Pt.1
(from Neutral Uke Hotel project, 2010)

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Gene Priest & The Cardinal Sin

2010-06-22T10:47:00.002+02:00

It can't be easy to be an agnostic when your last name is a religious title, but the world of Gene Priest's songs is not a very friendly place to begin with.

Gene Priest is ordinarily a sideman mainstay in the Knoxville, TN, music scene - manning the drum-kit for indie-rock acts HiLites and Cold Hands and the sludge-metal quartet, Hot Blood - but with equal doses of ego and humility, he has stepped into the footlights with his debut EP, "Living To Die," mixed in Knoxville by Sparklehorse's Scott Minor.

Melding the lo-fi sentimentality of Minor and Mark Linkous' Sparklehorse with the ethereal escapism of Radiohead, Priest and his ad-hoc backing band, The Cardinal Sin, deliver four songs intent on the exploration of the darkest corners of self-worth. The music crawls along through the dust on "Living To Die," not because it hasn't learned to walk; rather, it simply doesn't see a need to stand. It's with underlying confidence and defiance, rather than apathy and malaise when Priest sings, "No, I don't care if I ever see the light."

You can keep your world, because Priest has found salvation in his own surroundings: a land of damp earth, cold waters and revelation hidden under every stone. Gene Priest and The Cardinal Sin's "Living to Die" EP is available for streaming and as a free, high-quality MP3 download from Lapdance Academy. Recommended!

Gene Priest and The Cardinal Sin - Living To Die EP (free download)
Gene Priest and The Cardinal Sin @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Film School - Heart Full Of Pentagons
(from Fission, out July 20th on FFO Records)

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Modern Skirts

2010-06-09T17:58:00.002+02:00

Born of four hopeful rednecks and numerous misconceptions, Athens, GA’s Modern Skirts crept onto the scene in 2005 with its debut album, ‘Catalogue of Generous Men’. The record was met with both critical praise (landing the 11 spot on Paste Magazines’ Top Records of 2005) and several unwanted comparisons (mostly to Ben Folds {avoid coupling male vocals with prominent piano on your band’s next record, as this convenient correlation is likely to be drawn}). The band also starred in a video for ‘Pasadena’, the record’s lead single, which received airplay on over 40 different networks. After two years of seemingly pointless touring around the States and a string of European dates in the summer of 2008 with hometown heroes REM (including stops at Glastonbury, Rock Werchter, and the MTV stage at London‘s O2 Wireless Festival), Modern Skirts returned to the studio with David Lowery (Cracker) and Mike Mills (REM) handling production duties. ‘All of Us in Our Night’ was the resulting self-released effort that climbed its way to 22 on the CMJ charts. It would be the only completely independent record to crack the CMJ’s Top 25 in 2009. With its lush electronic instrumentation and dazzling dark wit, ‘All of Us in Our Night’ received acclaim in many notable publications such as Spin and No Depression and was praised by Under The Radar as “one of the indie albums of the year”. But Pitchfork also chimed in, blasting the album for being “bloodless and hermetic” and “not as good as the first one”. Whoa Nancy! After signing on with renowned Chicago booking agency Red Ryder and taking home the trophy for Athens’ best pop band at the 2009 Flagpole Music Awards, Modern Skirts jumped right back into the studio to self-produce their third full-length player. These sessions yielded the band’s most confident and startlingly original material to date and are soon to be forced upon a super small, barely attentive audience.

Modern Skirts’ Happy 81 EP marks a stark contrast to their previous records. The band flexed its pop muscle on the debut record, Catalogue of Generous Men, and their sophomore effort, All Of Us In Our Night, found the band starting to push its own boundaries. The Happy 81 EP is a statement of intent, a flag in the ground, claiming a new territory after a long journey. The Happy 81 EP and their forthcoming full length record (due this fall) both have their origins in singer Jay Gulley’s bedroom four track cassette recordings. Through the years, while Modern Skirts was touring and recording their studio albums, hundreds of cassette demos were being recorded in the off time. These songs were purely for enjoyment, never to be heard by anyone outside of the band. Eventually, the band realized that these recordings were bolder and more exciting than anything they had approached before.

The Happy 81 EP was recorded and mixed exclusively by the band at home. The original tape recordings were digitized and mixed and mastered. These recordings are as raw and alive as you can get. The EP sounds like a secret that no one was supposed to hear. The EP looks forward to the full length, which takes these home recordings and adds the sparkle and punch of studio recording to the grit and viscera of the home demos. Highly Recommended!

Modern Skirts - Rebecca St. Claire
Modern Skirts @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Melvins - The Water Glass
(from The Bride Screamed Murder, out June 1st on Ipecac Recordings)

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Twin Tigers

2010-05-14T14:10:00.003+02:00

Hailing from the ever blooming Athens, GA scene, Twin Tigers are ready to unleash their dynamic sound unto the universe. Along with other elements of the past five decades of rock music, Twin Tigers blend noise textures with pop structure and shoegaze overtones shaping a sound that’s all new.

Formed by co-workers at the Michael Stipe-owned Grit restaurant, guitarist/vocalist Matthew Rain and bassist Aimee Morris began Twin Tigers as their previous bands dissolved. In February 2008,Curious Faces / Violet Future EP was released to great reviews. The band quickly started building a solid fan base throughout the southeast and played shows with Deerhunter, Dead Confederate, Jay Reatard, Black Lips, Dungen, Woods, Snowden and A Place to Bury Strangers.

After a slew of revolving guitarists and drummers the band debuted its current lineup with guitarist Forrest Hall, opening for Les Savy Fav at the Earl in Atlanta only a few weeks before their first trip to SXSW 2009. Upon returning from SXSW, the band began recording an album with Joel Hatstat in Athens, GA.

Following the wrap up of their full length, the band was chosen for a nation wide tour with Minus the Bear and the Antlers in the fall of 2009. Twin Tigers have been on the road supporting their recently released Gray Waves and announce national dates supporting Interpol following their stint supporting the Hold Steady! Twin Tigers’ debut album Gray Waves is out now via Brooklyn based Old Flame Records. Recommended!

Twin Tigers - Passive Idol
Twin Tigers - Live At WOXY
Twin Tigers - Automatic EP (free album)
Twin Tigers @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: M.I.A. - XXXO
(from MAYA, out 7/13 on N.E.E.T/XL/Interscope)

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Peter Wolf Crier

2010-05-12T14:45:00.003+02:00

Peter Wolf Crier are Peter Pisano & Brian Moen. Pisano's is not a new songwriting voice. He is best known for being part of the Wars of 1812, an ascendant Wisconsin-bred quartet. Their first album together, Status Quo Ante Bellum, was more than just an album. It was relocation and aspiration and Pisano's lyrical Eden. As the Wars went on hiatus, Pisano continued to hone his craft, keeping his days full as a teacher at a small private school while fine-tuning, at night, the songs that would soon become Inter-Be. Feeling confident in the songs, Pisano approached Moen, a seasoned drummer and engineer best known for his involvement in Laarks and Amateur Love. After being asked to add some percussive elements, Moen added his thundering drum rolls and perfectly timed fills, but he also added something much more: a melodic soundscape that would complete the evolution of the songs. So was born the partnership that is called Peter Wolf Crier.

Peter Wolf Crier is set to take America by storm as they embark on their first ever U.S. tour starting June 7. On most of the dates, Peter Wolf Crier will be joined by Freelance Whales. Live, Peter Wolf Crier sound much larger than you'd expect from a two-piece. Lead singer Peter Pisano is a man possessed, strumming his overdriven acoustic guitar with force enough to draw blood and belting out the tunes like a pompadoured crooner of days gone by. All the while his feet are in constant motion, playing basslines on the pedal organ and sampling his own voice along the way. Meanwhile, drummer Brian Moen keeps the train on course with a lurching and powerful steadiness highlighted with machine-like flourishes while harmonizing a sweet yang to Pisano's yin. It is an all encompassing live experience by any measure. Highly Recommended!

Peter Wolf Crier - Hard As Nails
Peter Wolf Crier - Crutch And Cane
Peter Wolf Crier - Daytrotter Session
Peter Wolf Crier @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
(from High Violet, out May 11th on 4AD)

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Household Names

2010-05-11T16:49:00.002+02:00

Household Names is a four-piece alternative pop band from Austin, Texas, featuring vocalist and guitarist Jason Garcia, bassist Chris Peters, guitarist Eric Roberts, and drummer Joey Spivey.

Songwriter and guitarist/vocalist Jason Garcia released The Trouble With Being Nice as a solo artist in 2000, which drew immediate comparisons to Elvis Costello, Suede, Oasis, the Kinks and Blur. After 2003’s home-recorded Hold On Tight! EP, he found the perfect musical foil in bassist/vocalist Chris Peters, and together with drummer CJ Barker they recorded 2006’s Picture In My Head, of which The Austin Chronicle raved: “guitarist/vocalist Jason Garcia is fueled by the same unrequited aspirations as Big Star devotees like Matthew Sweet and Jellyfish… precision-tuned and soaked with hooks.” “Only One”, from that record, was featured prominently in an episode of the ABC prime time series “What About Brian?” and several other tracks have been used by MTV and CNBC.

The band will self-released its third record, Stories, No Names on May 11, 2010. “Driving To LA” starts the album off with guitar and beat-driven wistful nostalgia; “Every Third Time” keeps up the band’s signature hooky rock and adds some moody atmospherics. “Definitely” is pure pop- a Beatles and Beach Boys sing-along, while “Firefly” showcases a quiet, minor-key, Elliot Smith-esque sound. “Got A Good Thing” shimmers with atmospheric, yearning guitars and simple piano, creating the album’s prettiest track. As with the band’s previous albums, Stories, No Names is co-produced with Lars Goransson (Blondie, The Cardigans). Recommended!

Household Names - Definitly
Household Names - Driving To LA
Household Names @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Ane Brun (feat. Teitur) - Rubber & Soul
(from Duets, released 2005 on Determine Records)

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Sebastian Blanck

2010-05-07T11:42:00.003+02:00

Ever since he left an early lineup of Black Dice ten years ago, Sebastian Blanck has made his way as a painter in New York City, all the while quietly, almost secretly, writing warm, personal pop songs away from view. That changed in 2007, when Sebastian’s brother Toby died in a drowning accident thousands of miles away. It was also the year that Sebastian’s first son, Hudson, was born.

Toby had talked of starting a label to release Sebastian’s songs. Robbed of his brother and co-conspirator, Sebastian suddenly found a new urgency to writing and recording, a process he likens to being parallel to painting: a single-mindedness bordering on obsession, blending focus and surrender to quiet the external world. Within this private space he crafted a narrative of loss as well as an emotional re-imagining of Toby’s last months, a time he had kept hidden from his family. What were the forces pushing and pulling him away from the life he had and the people he loved? These questions could have been a dialogue never had, but Sebastian was left to re-create it alone.

All of Sebastian’s roles in life — father, husband, brother and son as well as painter and songwriter — come into play on Alibi Coast. In his paintings he’s a great storyteller, crafting scenes of single moments that unfurl into the past and future. Much the same way, Alibi Coast is a record of open-source love songs, a narrative of one or more relationships moving into and through dysfunction, brushstrokes becoming penstrokes and melodies. Even though there are specific experiences within these 12 songs, anyone with a heart will recognize their own hope, yearning and love in every song. There is sadness here, but Alibi Coast is not a sad record; moment to moment and song to song, its emotion, color and shading change, like a precious stone turning over in your hand. Recommended!

Sebastian Blanck - Thunder
Sebastian Blanck @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Emily Jane White - Liza
(from Victorian America, out April 27th on Milan Records)

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The True Jacqueline

2010-04-26T18:50:00.002+02:00

Fun. Simply put, The True Jacqueline is a fun band and their music is a testimony to it. With charming twee vocals, unexpected time changes, and a solid indie-rock backbone, band members Noah Stevralia (vocals, guitar), Zach Farrell (vocals, keyboards), Kate Niemczyk (vocals, bass) and Andrew Huffman (drums) reinterpret ideas from bands like Superchunk, Built to Spill, Mates of State, and early New Pornographers and spin it into their own sound.

Based in Northampton, Massachusetts, The True Jacqueline’s debut full-length release Nice Bird set for release on June 22, presents indie-rock twists, breakdowns, and unusual arrangements that always remain melodic. TJ’s songs can be both campy and heartfelt; they write about what they know: real life, pop culture, and historical subjects. “We pull topics from many places,” says Stevralia. “We’re kind of nerds, so academic subjects like science, math, and history--as well as science-fiction --tend to crop up often.”

Nice Bird presents straight up bouncy indie rock reminiscent of late ‘90s Canadian power-pop (“Pon Farr”), sonic jamming dubs (“Citrus Alarm“ and “Mondegreen”), and delicious folk-pop (“Starts With She”). Though each song is sonically unique, what all of Nice Bird’s songs have in common is odd and whimsical lyrical content. They sing about magnets, Barbara Streisand, the 1989 Fred Savage videogame movie “The Wizard”, and hating your brother enough to want to kill him. Recommended!

The True Jacqueline - Mondegreen
The True Jacqueline - It's The Water
The True Jacqueline @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Radio Dept. - Heaven's On Fire
(from Clinging To A Scheme, out April 21st on Labrador)

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See Green

2010-04-16T16:28:00.002+02:00

Like a hybrid SUV landing on Plymouth Rock, See Green's vibrant alternative pop is grounded in the past, but very much of the present. Bursting with richly textured arrangements and unique instrumentation, See Green mastermind/frontwoman/tunesmith Courtenay Green's songs toss elements from a host of different influences and eras into a giant musical blender. The resulting cocktail is both singular and delicious, doses of sophisticated writing that go down easy thanks to catchy hooks, clever lyrics, and quirky interludes. Using her skills as a drummer, guitarist, pianist, percussionist, trumpet player, and dabbler in a host of other instrument categories, Courtenay writes/arranges nearly every part of every song and co-produces all of her recordings, creating an unusual brand of pop that somehow feels familiar while remaining entirely original and distinct.

After playing drums for a motley crew (but not Motley Crue) of bands and migrating from Princeton University to New York to Los Angeles, Courtenay released her first EP of her own songs in late 2008. She quickly began to take the LA scene by storm, backed by an ever-expanding group of talented menfolk playing an ever-expanding number of instruments. Performing initially as Courtenay Green & The Red Scare and more recently as See Green, the group has since been onstage at venues and events ranging from the Silverlake Lounge to the House of Blues to the LA Times Festival of Books. After a successful East Coast mini-tour in the fall of '09, Courtenay spent the remainder of that year working on the first official See Green EP, "Violet," which she finally completed in February and will officially release on May 4th. Recommended!

See Green - Goldmine
See Green @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Steve Mason (ex Beta Band) - All Come Down
(from Boys Outside, out May 4th on Domino Records)

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Deluka

2010-04-08T17:50:00.003+02:00

Birmingham UK’s Deluka are on the fast track toward stardom. Fronted by lead singer Ellie Innocenti, whose power-strut vocals and bullet-proof cool are undeniably seductive, Deluka’s charged blend of jagged guitars, fluid beats and addictive melodies are garnering praise and buzz from a wide range of pop gate-keepers.

The video for Deluka’s infectious single from their debut EP, “Cascade,” is directed by famed fashion photographer Antoine Verglas and filmed at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory, was premiered on AOL Spinner, and has recently been picked up by numerous video programs nationwide, including VH1, Logo, and dozens of regional outlets across the U.S.

“Cascade” is also gaining traction alternative radio, following some early spins at KROQ in Los Angeles. The acoustic version of “Cascade” debuted on Zink magazine this week. And MTV has embraced the band, programming several tracks on the hit show “The City”, and featuring “Cascade” during the 2009 VMAs. Recommended!

Deluka - Cascade (acoustic)
Deluka @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Phosphorescent - It's Hard To Be Humble
(from Here's To Taking It Easy, out 11/05 on Dead Oceans)

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Fan-Tan

2010-03-26T14:16:00.003+01:00

Brooklyn’s Fan-Tan formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 2006 when Indonesian expatriates Kuki and Sandee Kooks joined forces with Ryan Lee Dunlap. Intent on diverging from the college rock scene of the area, the band drew on influence of the Manchester, England music scene circa 1983. After adding Mike Walter on synthesizers, the group decided on the name Fan-Tan, an ancient Chinese gambling game that was repeatedly mentioned in much of the history of the American west due to the many Chinese immigrant laborers in area during that time, creating an “east meets west” connection similar to the band’s lineup.

Although Fan-Tan is an “east meets west” band on the surface, the true connection is an affinity for British post-punk and new wave. Haunting synth-pop hooks and soothing undertones underscore the emotional connection attributed to that sound, a sense of void filled musically within the soul’s cavity.

Their newest EP, The Age of Discovery (set for release in April), represents Fan-Tan’s self discovery as a band and the spirit of adventure and exploration that keeps the excitement within making music. Exhibiting a somewhat vague overtone in order to allow fans to create their own interpretation, the album does address devastating emotions and circumstances of life. The song “Earrings” contemplates the romantic side of being driven insane by the tick-tock of everyday life and “Good Men” is a meditation on the difficulty of settling into a romantic relationship. No matter what the future holds for Fan-Tan, their unique and morose melodies allow the group to reach fans on emotional level that most bands just can’t match. Recommended!

Fan-Tan - On Your Wall
Fan-Tan @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Tallest Man On Earth - Burden Of Tomorrow
(from The Wild Hunt, out April 13th at Dead Oceans)

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Fang Island

2010-03-19T13:58:00.002+01:00

Fang Island began, oddly enough, as an art school project while the band members were attending the prodigious Rhode Island School of Design (also the foundation for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Les Savvy Fav, Six Finger Satellite, Lightning Bolt and some band called the Talking Heads.) According to guitarist Jason Bartell, the goal was to "make music for people who like music." That is, music without irony that harnesses its uplifting qualities. Just like a classic rock song or classical symphony can stir us emotionally, Fang Island exists to unlock that spirit.

Fang Island is guitarist Jason Bartell, bassist Michael Jacober, guitarist Chris Georges, guitarist Nicholas Andrew Sadler, and drummer Marc St. Sauveur. They all share collective group vocal harmonies and the occasional hand claps. While Sadler is also known for his role in the debauched rock band Daughters, it is only his fretboard skill that translates between the two groups.

Fang Island's self-titled debut album hit shelves on February 23rd via Sargent House amid a wealth of praise from press, with many writers declaring it one of the Best of 2010, just two months into the new year. A digital EP featuring the popular album track "Daisy" backed with Chris Keating of Yeasayer's remix of "Absolute Place" off their Sky Gardens EP preceded the full length in January. Highly recommended!

Fang Island - Daisy
Fang Island - Life Coach
Fang Island @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Son Lux - Weapons V
(from Weapons EP, out February 2010 on Anticon)

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New Roman Times

2010-03-12T16:57:00.002+01:00

New Roman Times are Daniel Owens (guitars, vocals), Josie Fluri (bass, vocals), Mike Allen (drums) and Harris Thurmond (guitars, synths).

It’s said that much can be drawn by observing the company someone keeps. So what does being consistently hand-picked to perform with artists like Death Cab for Cutie, The Bravery, Cursive, The Rapture and Ted Leo & the Pharmacists say about New Roman Times? It shows that they’re the next generation in the great American indie rock tradition.

Drawn from an emotional plane where pain and liberation are interchangeable, their nocturnal music moves from crashing towers to elegant whispers, often in the same song. Ringing and urgent, this is the sound of carving your way to catharsis. The husband-wife combination of Owens and Fluri provide the band’s vocal dynamics, allowing them to stroke vulnerability from all angles. Between the tortured wail of Owens and the intimate coo of Fluri, their smart indie rock soars as much as it digs.

Following up their nationally distributed and critically lauded album "International Affairs", New Roman Times emerge with the Lp "On the Sleeve". Other artists they’ve performed with are The Raveonettes, Autolux, Enon, The Good Life, Rainer Maria, , VHS or Beta, Har Mar Superstar, Scissor Sisters and Elefant. Recommended!

New Roman Times - Smoke In Your Disguise
New Roman Times @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Gin Wigmore - Too Late For Lovers
(from Holy Smoke, out March 16th on Motown Records)

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Blunt Mechanic

2010-02-25T16:01:00.002+01:00

Ben Barnett is a musician who has, all his life, documented experiences through song. After releasing eight albums, six singles and five splits as Kind of Like Spitting over the course of a decade, retiring the moniker and reinventing himself as Music Director of Seattle's Paul Green School of Rock, Barnett has now emerged triumphant with a new band, Blunt Mechanic, and said band's debut full-length, World Record. Both band and album tip heavy on the riffaged hooks and light on the darkness; big on the thumbs up--no time for the thumbs down.

It is far from hyperbolic to enthusiastically assert that this album—Blunt Mechanic's first—is Barnett's finest work to date. Considering the critically-acclaimed and cultishly-followed body of work he has amassed over the past 15 years, it's understandable that one could lazily dismiss that claim before having heard the onslaught of unstoppable, charming hooks, impeccably constructed songs, heart-wrenching, moving, uplifting storytelling, brilliant turns of phrase and vocal/instrumental interplay that defines World Record. Barnett has here created the culmination of his musical and personal explorations in a way that is powerful, relatable, inspirational, ineffable and communicable, and there's just no stopping that kind of force. Highly Recommended!

Blunt Mechanic - Our First Brains
Blunt Mechanic - Less Beat
Blunt Mechanic @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Nada Surf - Electrocution (Bill Fox cover)
(from If I Had A Hi-Fi, out June 8th on Mardev Records)

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Local Natives

2010-02-18T18:11:00.002+01:00

Local Natives make soaring, sky-scraping harmonies, dreamy orchestral melodies, and throbbing tribal beats that bash their way into your soul. Theirs are songs you can dance to almost as well as you can swoon to them. Drawing a line from the vocal stylings of Crosby Stills Nash & Young and the Zombies through the more esoteric edges of post-punk and Afro-beat, this California five piece have communally crafted a brand of indie rock all their own.

One of SXSW 2009’s biggest success stories, the band drove for two days to get from Los Angeles to Austin in order to play nine spectacular shows that saw them sprinting, instruments in hand, from one gig to the next. Their hectic schedule paid off as Local Natives left Austin with the attention of the UK music Industry.

The self-funded Gorilla Manor was recorded by Raymond Richards in West Los Angeles. Richards produced the record with Local Natives in his own Red Rockets Glare Studio.

Featuring twelve sumptuous slices of dappled California sunlight and beguiling percussive rhythms, the album kicks off with the moody, driving, ‘Wide Eyes’. Says Ryan, “It’s about people’s obsession with the miraculous and disastrous…with witnessing extraordinary events”. The effervescent, mandolin boasting ‘Airplanes’ follows, which Kelcey explains is about “longing to have met my grandfather, a great man and pilot, who died before I was born.” Also included is the glorious ‘Sun Hands’, which was released as a limited edition single on Chess Club back in July. According to Taylor, the lyrics describe “that all too familiar feeling of wanting what you can’t have – especially when you once had it.” There’s a cover version in the mix too, a barely recognizable version of Talking Heads’ ‘Warning Sign’. “We’ve basically flipped the song on its head,” says Matt, explaining how they switched David Byrne’s original yelped vocals into a beautiful three-part harmony. Recommended!

Local Natives - Sun Hands
Local Natives @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: One eskimO - Kandi
(from One eskimO, released in 2009 on Shangrila Music)

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Allison Moorer

2010-02-12T13:25:00.002+01:00

Nearly 12 years ago, Allison Moorer made an unforgettable introduction with her contribution of the thoughtful ballad, “A Soft Place to Fall,” to the soundtrack to the Robert Redford-directed drama, The Horse Whisperer, which later earned her an Academy Award nomination. From there, Moorer went on to carefully craft a long-lasting career with her impressive debut LP, Alabama Song, while challenging herself to always look inward for an even deeper meaning -- which she certainly explored on Miss Fortune (2002) and The Duel (2004).

In 2007, Moorer received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “Days Aren’t Long Enough,” a song co-written with her husband, singer-songwriter Steve Earle. Venturing into a creative world beyond music was merely natural, too; that fall, Moorer went on to appear in the stage production of Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove’s “Rebel Voices,” a theatrical adaptation based on their best-selling book, Voices of a People’s History of the United States. And in late 2009, Moorer appears in The History Channel’s The People Speak, a film inspired by Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, which also features Bob Dylan, Morgan Freeman, Bruce Springsteen, Danny Glover, Matt Damon, John Legend, Josh
Brolin and more.

Allison Moorer’s highly anticipated release Crows is out Feb 9th, on Ryko. Crows, produced by R.S. Field (Buddy Guy, John Mayall) at the House of David Studio in Nashville, TN, is a marked departure from her previous work and her first original material since 2006’s Getting Somewhere. Crows is wholeheartedly real -- its spirit is tangible and each lyric could belong to anyone. Moorer’s look inward is pure and without hesitation, all while she’s exploring what could exist outside of one’s soul. Recommended!

Allison Moorer - The Broken Girl (acoustic)
Allison Moorer @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Radio Dept - Heaven's On Fire
(from Clinging To A Scheme, out April 21st on Labrador)

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Cuckoo Chaos

2010-02-03T17:38:00.003+01:00

Planting was never an option for Scott Wheeler. He's been nomadic for the past decade, hopping from town to town, experiencing different scenes that piqued his interest. But, sometimes a community just pulls you in, inspires you, and makes you want to call it home. Such was the case for Wheeler when he returned to San Diego in 2007 after stints in various places around the U.S. He immersed himself in a community of artists that embraced his artistic nature, his fluid lifestyle, and his desire to better himself as a musician. And, out of this community formed Cuckoo Chaos, a band that captures the sound of California coastlines, Liverpool alleyways, and Brooklyn bedroom echoes.

Wheeler's Cuckoo Chaos is rounded out by members of San Diego perennials The Powerchords and The Vision of a Dying World. It's clear that their fathers gave them The Byrds and The Beatles talk, but the sound of contemporaries Devendra Banhart and Luke Temple can be heard throughout each acoustic gem and jam. Acoustic guitar melodies float in the wind like the white sands of secret beaches. Wheeler's piano lines skip like smooth rocks across the surfaces of calm waters. Cuckoo Chaos' harmonies can cause the sun to rise and ignite dawn, while Wheeler's solo voice can gently put the sun to rest. The debut album from Cuckoo Chaos is the result of many late nights spinning old records and talks about journeys with no destination in mind. It is as much a collection of nostalgic beauty as it is a foray into the simple textures of eclectic songwriting.

San Diego’s Cuckoo Chaos’ debut EP We Are From Deerplants is now available digitally everywhere and physically through Lefse Records. They are currently prepping their debut full length to be released later this year. Don't be thrown off by this acoustic fuzz release, the upbeat full length is most definitely a full band at work. Recommended!

Cuckoo Chaos - Slowly Counting Down To Nothing
Cuckoo Chaos @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Frog Eyes - Flower In A Glove
(from Paul's Tomb: A Triumph, out April 27th on Dead Oceans)

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Balmorhea

2010-01-25T18:28:00.002+01:00

Balmorhea (pronounced Bal-moor-ay) is a band from Austin, Texas that was formed in 2006 by Rob Lowe and Michael Muller. Balmorhea were influenced by Ludovico Einaudi, The Six Parts Seven, Claude Debussy, Ludwig van Beethoven, Rachel's, Gillian Welch, Max Richter, Arvo Pärt and John Cage.

The band self-released their first album, self-titled "Balmorhea", in April 2007, and their second album "Rivers Arms" in February 2008, and released a limited EP in the fall of 2008. The group recently released their 3rd full-length album, "All is Wild, All is Silent" on Western Vinyl Records. Balmorhea has toured the US three times and will soon begin their third European tour.

Constellations, the newest full-length from of Austin's Balmorhea, closely follows the release of the group's critically-acclaimed prior albums All is Wild, All is Silent (2009) and Rivers Arms (2008). Constellations further showcases core duo Rob Lowe and Michael Muller's songwriting and attention to detail, establishing Balmorhea as a major force in contemporary American independent music.

Balmorhea will embark on a tour in support of the group's forthcoming album, Constellations, a solemn meditation on the mystical and metaphysical, which Western Vinyl will release on February 23, 2010. Beginning with an album release show in Austin, Texas, Balmorhea's North American tour will find the band joining Danish group Efterklang throughout the United States and Canada before returning home for a string of shows at SXSW. April dates in Europe will be announced shortly. Recommended!

Balmorhea - Bowsprit
Balmorhea @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Surfer Blood - Swim
(from Astro Coast, out January 19th on Kanine Records)

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Free albums...

2010-01-20T14:31:00.003+01:00

The Dogs are Peter Walters, James Krivchenia, Matt Bachmann and Rivkah Gevinson. The band has just released their sophomore album Free Write. The album is mixed/produced by James Krivchenia. Check it Out!

The Dogs - Free Write (free album)

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The people at Lefse Records have started an offshoot imprint, Waaga Records. To commemorate this event, they give you 15 tracks from their artists and friends. The Comp is available for free download from the link below. The first Waaga release will be from Denton, TX's FUR on February 23rd. Watch for all of these artists in 2010.

VA - Waaga Compilation (free album)

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Infight comes from Freiburg, Germany and they play electronic indie music they like to call „DISCOPUNK“! Recently the band recorded theirr new EP called „the Discoland E.P.“. The album is available for free download.

Infight - Discoland EP (free album)

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SONG OF THE DAY: Besnard Lakes - Albatross
(from The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night, out February 9th on Jagjaguwar)

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Best albums of 2009

2009-12-21T21:30:00.006+01:00

Hi Folks!

Here are my top 50 picks for best albums in 2009!

50. Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic
49. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
48. The Thermals - Now We Can See
47. Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
46. Sonic Youth - The Eternal
45. Heartless Bastards - The Mountain
44. The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love
43. Bishop Allen – Grrr…
42. Dan Deacon - Bromst
41. White Rabbits - It’s Frightening
40. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
39. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
38. Tegan and Sara – Sainthood
37. The Dead Weather – Horehound
36. Silversun Pickups – Swoon
35. M Ward – Hold Time
34. Eels – Hombre Lobo
33. Monsters Of Folk – Monsters Of Folk
32. Passion Pit - Manners
31. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
30. And So I Watch You From Afar - And So I Watch You From Afar
29. The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come
28. Discovery - LP
27. Metric - Fantasies
26. The Horrors - Primary Colours
25. The Antlers - Hospice
24. Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue
23. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
22. Antony And The Johnsons - The Crying Light
21. Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band
20. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
19. Built to Spill - There Is No Enemy
18. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
17. Yacht - See Mystery Lights
16. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
15. Atlas Sound - Logos
14. St. Vincent - Actor
13. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
12. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
11. Fever Ray - Fever Ray

10. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

09. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

08. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

07. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

06. Girls - Album

05. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

04. The XX - The XX

03. Dinosaur Jr - Farm

02. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers

01. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The posts will continue at the beginning of 2010!

Awesome New Republic

2009-11-27T17:39:00.002+01:00

Awesome New Republic (ANR) is a 2-piece indie band from Miami, FL comprised of core members Michael John Hancock and Brian Robertson and featuring touring/studio drummer Jorge Rubiera.

MJ and B-Rob both graduated from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and have been cultivating their sound in “Magic City” for the past 5 years.

ANR self-released ANR So Far to critical and popular acclaim in 2005. They recorded Rational Geographic Volumes I and II, over the winter of 2008, and released them as FREE downloads via their website in Spring of 2009.

Hearts is the end-all product of various recording sessions over Spring and Summer of 2009. The band posted up in their Miami studio for 2 months, re-recorded all 11 tracks and had the disc mastered by Mike Lazer (Gnarls Barkley, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club). The album has been released at October 27th. Recommended!

Awesome New Republic - Dark Water
Awesome New Republic - Alleycat
Awesome New Republic @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Sia - You've Changed
(from We Are Born, out Spring 2010)

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Polka Dot Dot Dot

2009-11-16T14:03:00.002+01:00

Three people. One adventure. Cosmic alignment? Polka Dot Dot Dot, based in Olympia, WA, formed when three travelers (Jordan O'Jordan, Onyx of Olympia, and Colleen Johnson or Twig Palace) met on the treefern-speckled shores of New Zealand. Combining their solo sets for a last-minute spot at the Camp A Low Hum Music Festival, the Dots charmed crowds with their refreshing blend of folk, tin pan alley, and a cappella styles.

Their first album, Love Letter to New Zealand reflected this impromptu musical spirit. On their 2nd full-length release, Syzygy (a term that refers to planetary alignment), the Dots deliver a record that is unique, beautiful, and more patient than their last. Written after two US tours and a return trip to New Zealand, these songs deal with the fleeting nature of movement, friendship, and infatuation. While still full of their characteristic 3 part harmonies and instrumentation (guitar, banjo, ukulele, musical saw, harp, and hand-clap percussion), Syzygy expands the Dots' sound with more orchestration and vocal arrangement.Yet, despite the fairly existential themes of this new record, Polka Dot Dot Dot have crafted an album that floats and bobs on a cosmic sea, and is neither too heavy nor too light. Here, gravity has a gentle touch and allows us along on this trip, leaving us star-speckled and beaming at the end. Recommended!

Polka Dot Dot Dot - Invisibrother
Polka Dot Dot Dot @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Jason Boesel - Hand Of God
(from Hustler's Son, out January 12th on Team Love Records)

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Heather Greene

2009-11-10T17:17:00.002+01:00

As one of the world’s only female Scotch whisky experts, Heather Greene has quite a life. After selling out venues throughout the U.S. and Europe and receiving exposure on major radio stations worldwide, Heather moved to Scotland to explore her heritage and work on her music. It was there that Heather discovered a zeal for whisky. Arriving in Scotland, she threw herself into the world of Scotch, and her voyage of discovery led her to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh, where, as the first American woman to be invited to serve on the tasting panel and eventually joining the company as a U.S. Glenfiddich Ambassador.

It was also in Scotland where her second album, Sweet Otherwise, was conceived. Recorded when she returned to New York in 2008, Sweet Otherwise evokes lush, pastoral landscapes as potently as it captures the urban pulse of a vibrant city, weaving a kaleidoscopic array of musical elements – from classic 1960s-era folk to twangy country to textural electronica to upbeat, hooky 80s pop – into one of year’s most poignant records.

After performing in Philadelphia October 6th, Heather Greene is excited to announce the second installment of her “Whisky Song” series on October 8th in Brooklyn, NY. Heather will host an evening of intimate songwriting paired with a tasting of Scotland’s finest whisky. Recommended!

Heather Greene - Moon Hangs Fire
Heather Greene - Why Don't You Say Yes
Heather Greene @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Omar Rodriguez Lopez - Mundo De Ciegos
(from Xenophanes, out November 10th on Rodriguez Lopez Productions)

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The Blakes

2009-11-04T13:03:00.002+01:00

The origins of the Blakes are rooted somewhere in the backwoods of central Maine, where brothers Garnet & Snow Keim created a shared ambition to deviate from their seemingly inevitable fates as lifelong paper mill employees (or something of that nature), and try their hands at music. In the spring of 1999, the duo found themselves in Seattle, where they ended their epic search for a drummer in Bob Husak, who was toiling away as a barista. From there, the trio took off for the sunny skies of LA landing at the Days Inn in Glendale and recording their first full-length album during the TV off-season at CBS studios. Here is where they decided to take on the name "The Blakes." The name came to Garnet in a dream after he¹d attended a showing of the works of William Blake.

The newly formed Blakes recorded two EP's in succession. The Bottle was recorded in 2004 and another called Little Whispers in 2005. AND along with a relocation back to Seattle, The Blakes had become notable for their chaotic and highly energetic live shows. Ever ambitious, the boys recorded over forty songs for their third full length. When it was whittled down, The Blakes personally took several copies over to KEXP, which immediately championed the band and catapulted them to #1 on their charts. They eventually signed to local indie imprint Light in the Attic Records. In the summer of 2007, the label issued an EP, Streets, which featured three album tracks and two exclusives.

In the meantime, the band played several high profile Northwest shows, including appearances at Sasquatch, Bumbershoot and Capitol Hill Block Party and started embarking on cross country national tours. In Europe, the boys played the TV show Album de la Semaine in France and toured with the Gossip, the Kills and Pete and the Pirates as part of the Musicale en Tournee tour, which was filmed and edited into a TV special for Canal + and supported the Wombats across the UK. Other touring partners abroad include the Brian Jonestown Massacre in England, France, and Germany. Festival dates in the US followed including Sasquatch and Bumbershoot, and also performed at Lollapalooza, SXSW, MusicFest NorthWest, CMJ and Sunfest in Miami. iTunes voted the Blakes album one of the Top 10 records of 2007. Garnet and Snow put out a full-length record consisting of more introspective songs as BEADS earlier in the year.

The Blakes released full length Souvenir on October 13th, the long awaited follow up to the Streets EP & the recent reissue The Blakes LP. Recomended!

The Blakes - Basket
The Blakes @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Mary Onettes - Puzzles
(from Islands, out November 3rd on Labrador)

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Stricken City

2009-11-02T16:50:00.002+01:00

When Iain Pettifer (guitars) and Rebekah Raa (vocals/keys) first met in maths class they were wearing exactly the same clothes and quickly coupled over a mutual appreciation of introverted, romantic guitar music; not to mention a palpable sense of detachment from the cool kids. Rebekah spent her entire student loan on a guitar and 8 track recorder while Iain educated her with his extensive music collection including of a full set of Twisted Nerve 7”s and the complete works of Richard Hell. Soon joined by Kit Godfrey (drums) and Mike Hyland (bass), our heroes holed themselves up for hours on end, making and breaking songs about life and loss, love and desperation, hatred and hunger.

Defined by their clattering guitars, the scattergun pounding of the drums, basslines bursting with hooks and the strikingly voiced melodies of otherworldly front woman Rebekah Raa; Stricken City produce an indie-pop of hitherto untapped gems drawn from influences Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, Young Marble Giants and The Slits as well as those lost sources of alternative melodica Life Without Buildings, The Sundays and Bow Wow Wow.

Fresh off their US debut performances at CMJ, the debut by Stricken City, Songs About People I Know, is out this Tuesday, November 3rd. The US version also includes two bonus tracks, Tak o Tak and The Traveller and will be out on 180 gram color 45rpm vinyl and CD. Recommended!

Stricken City - Small Things
Stricken City @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Molina And Johnson: Almost Let You In
(from Molina And Johnson, out November 3rd on Secretly Canadian)

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I Love You

2009-10-29T19:04:00.002+01:00

In an abandoned storefront in Kansas City, Missouri, the duo known as ‘I Love You‘ pollute the airwaves with heady-polyrhythmic drone. Having exhibited their solvent circus at nearly 200 shows, I Love You spouts out anthems that cross the boundaries between sabotage and self-improvement. Their combination of noisy DIY punk with thumpin’ dub bass is catchier than you think – conveying emotion and pop sensibility, but mostly madness.

This you should understand: ‘I Love You’ is merely the English translation of the band’s “real” band name which is ‘Yah Tibyah La Blu’. With their second album, Bell Ord Forrest, the doubly named band has regurgitated a sprawling yet remarkably focused work. These are twisted, slightly menacing, yet somehow danceable tunes of indulgence and self-destruction – inviting all sympathetic listeners to smash their way to bliss… Singer/guitarist Justin Randel sings, shouts, rants and croons with a manic paranoia that hasn’t been seen since the last time David Byrne got really coked up before appearing on national TV.

While much of the enjoyment from Bell Ord Forrest is to be had while remaining motionless on a floor, this album does not lack the visceral, bodily experience so prevalent in I Love You’s live performances. Electronic experimentation abounds, though they would seem illogical and counter-intuitive to anyone who has ever considered going to a rave. However, to those versed in medicine-cabinet-rock, the electronic elements are completely sensible. Or at least, as sensible as anything can be on mescaline.

I Love You - The Colloquialism Is Simply 'Gas'
I Love You @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Nirvana - About A Girl (remastered)
(from Bleach (reissue), out November 3rd on Sub Pop)

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Parlour Steps

2009-10-20T10:19:00.002+02:00

The keen intelligence, the ambitious ideas, the pride in tackling heady, and cerebral concepts that has characterized the band from Vancouver, British Columbia from the get-go remain intact. But a newfound musical confidence gives a carefree flow to the band’s music, with a vivacious presence and palpable warmth.

Lauded by the Canadian press, Parlour Steps has at various times evoked comparisons to brainy pop of XTC, the drama of Arcade Fire, the lyrical focus of Sufjan Stevens and the snappy rhythmic grip of the Pixies. But it is front man Caleb Stull’s relentless curiosity and daring songwriting that separates the quartet from the indie-rock pack.

What makes The Hidden Names stand out is that the five-piece band contributes with single-minded energy to what Stull calls “the greater good of the song.” That is something the world discovered in 2005, when "Thieves of Memory" won second place in the rock category in International Songwriter’s Competition, an annual event which that year drew some 15,000 entries.

But that was then, and Parlour Steps are not ones to rest on past achievements. In those days, the band got much mileage out of Stull’s somewhat tongue-in-cheek coinage of the phrase “thought rock” to describe the band’s music. Though Caleb is certainly unapologetic about the accuracy or usefulness of the phrase in gaining some attention for Parlour Steps, he is quite content to let fade away what he acknowledges may have been a “rather pretentious sounding conceit.”

Listen to The Hidden Names and you’ll snap your fingers, shake your body, twitch your leg, and soon enough, most tracks will have you dancing – without ever thinking about it. Parlour Step's third full-length, The Hidden Names, will be available at October 20th from Nine Mile Records. Recommended!

Parlour Steps - Little Pieces
Parlour Steps - Bleeding Hearts
Parlour Steps @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Mates Of State - You Are Free (The Mae Shi Remix)
(from Re-Arranged: Remixes Volume 1 digital release, out on October 2009 on Barsuk Records)

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Laarks

2009-10-13T14:29:00.003+02:00

Laarks is a indie pop four piece from Eau Claire, WI. The band includes Ian Jacoby (keys, vocals), Kyle Flater (guitar), Zach Hanson (bass), and Brian Moen (drums). The band’s sound is defined by Jacoby’s soaring pop vocals, Flater’s atmospheric angular guitar work, and Hanson’s churning bass neatly tied to Moen’s explosive and dynamic drumming. Laarks released their debut full length “An Exaltation of Laarks” in March of 2009.

An Exaltation of Laarks isn’t so much a laudation of the band as it is a summons to experience the exuberance and passion of finely crafted pop songs executed with contagious energy, and in stunning fidelity (especially considering the band did it themselves, from 2” tape to album art). Listening to the record is like flying a keyed kite in a thunderstorm, soaring on textured choruses and layered buildups, waiting for the lighting to strike just to feel it course through your body to your melted soles. Highly Recommended!

Laarks - All The Words You Can't Say Right
Laarks @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Black Heart Procession - Rats
(from Six, out October 6th on Temporary Residence)

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The Happy Hollows

2009-10-07T11:07:00.002+02:00

The Happy Hollows' catchy yet dissonant sound is influenced by genres as disparate as 90's college rock, garage punk, art rock, and 80's pop. The band combines innovative song structures, surreal lyrics, and fiercely adept instrumentation to recreate reality into a jagged panorama of vibrant, kaleidoscopic collage. Listening to their music, one cannot help but see visions of a place oddly askew from the world we experience everyday, a parallel universe that is at once whimsical, demented, and ferocious.

Having born and bred their band in various corners of the L.A. music scene since forming 2006, The Happy Hollows played their first shows in Japanese restaurants, laundromats, and small local clubs. In their first year as a band, they snuck into a studio at night and, in two sessions, recorded Bunnies and Bombs, an EP that attracted the attention of the L.A.'s underground music scene. After seeing them play a show, established L.A. heroes Silversun Pickups asked The Happy Hollows to open for them at The Wiltern and The Fillmore. In 2008, fellow art-rock outfit Deerhoof invited the Hollows to open for them on their album release shows at The Avalon and The Great American Music Hall.

The much-anticipated and highly acclaimed debut album by Los Angeles trio The Happy Hollows officially hits streets at October 6th, 2009. The album, Spells is a culmination of their work with producer and former Mighty Lemon Drops guitarist David Newton (The Little Ones, The Blood Arm), who also produced the group’s 2008 EP Imaginary. Highly Recommended!

The Happy Hollows - Faces
The Happy Hollows - High Wire
The Happy Hollows - Monster Room
The Happy Hollows @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Raveonettes - Last Dance
(from In And Out Of Control, out October 6th on Vice Records)

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Free album release... Virgin Of The Birds

2009-09-28T18:25:00.002+02:00

Named after a poor English translation of a Salvador Dali painting, Virgin of the Birds is primarily Jon Rooney augmented by the talents of various folks for live shows and selected recording. Virgin of the Birds was created as an outlet for Rooney's songs outside of Morning Spy, an indie pop/rock band he formed in San Francisco that has enjoyed considerable inconspicuous acclaim since their debut release first surfaced in early 2004.

As a collection of pop songs, Mixed Choir, released in July 2007 by Abandoned Love Records, treads a line between intimate, lo fi folk and the occasional grandeur of early art rock. These are songs about girls, heresy, defiance and bright, searching guitars among other things. Indie pop is an excitable mistress, best quelled with a cocktail of hazy major-key melodies, unruly e-bow, and arcane balladry. Every Rival, the first in a series of download-only EPs, was released at the start of the summer of 2009 followed by Dear Furies. Recommended!

Virgin Of The Birds - Dear Furies EP (album download)
Virgin Of The Birds @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Sunbear - Leadbelt
(from Bits, out September 28th on Indicater Records)

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Codes In The Clouds

2009-09-22T13:38:00.002+02:00

Codes in the Clouds are a British post-rock band formed in July 2007. Consisting of Dartford, Kent natives Stephen Peeling, Ciaran Morahan, Rob Smith, Jack Major, and Joe Power, the group plays instrumental post-rock with cinematic qualities. They are signed with the independent, London based label Erased Tapes Records.

Their debut album, Paper Canyon is set to be released on September 15, 2009 in the United States, and has already been released in the UK. They recorded the album in 5 days with Justin Lockey (Bloc Party/Milo/Enter Shakari) and were quickly picked up for rotation on BBC Radio 1 and called 'Best New Music/Ones To Watch in 2009' in Rock Sound. The band is touring the UK and Europe with 65daysofstatic among others, and will head to the US in early 2010. Recommended!

Codes In Clouds - Don't Go Awash In This Digital Landscape
Codes In The Clouds @ MySpace

Codes in the Clouds. Teaser. from Macgregor on Vimeo.

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SONG OF THE DAY: Nouvelle Vague - Master & Servant
(from 3, out October 20th on Peacefrog)

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The Jaguar Club

2009-09-18T14:57:00.002+02:00

The Jaguar Club is a trio residing in Brooklyn NY who formed shortly before New Years Eve 2006. The band has released 2 EP's of danceable pop tunes and played shows up and down the Eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida. At home they have been thrilled to play with some very fine bands including: The Duke Spirit, The Cinematics, Scissors For Lefty, Mobius Band, Pela, Bear Hands, The Shaky Hands, Love Of Diagrams and many more.

2008 primarily found the band in a barn in upstate New York writing and recording their first full-length album at Marcata Recording with Kevin McMahon (French Kicks, The Walkmen, Titus Andronicus, DieDieDie, Frightened Rabbit). The album is being mixed at the time of writing and the sounds it captures show the band breaking free of what had become their signature New Wave influenced sound, while keeping their signature energy and intensity intact. The album's 13 tracks are full of varied dynamics, new sounds and ideas, and is both heavier and softer than anything they have done before. With the album almost in the can, The Jaguar Club are thrilled for the future and are looking forward to finally getting back on the road after a year off. The limitless possibility and freedom of studio work has allowed the band to truly find their voice with the new album, but in the end the boys in the band still love putting on a good show more than anything - with energy, and sweat, unmatched by many of their contemporaries.

The debut album And We Wake Up Slowly has been self-released at September 1st. Written in a sweaty Brooklyn basement and recorded in a giant, creaky barn in upstate New York overshadowed by the Catskill Mountains, these songs are brought to life by panoramic production, layers of new-found sounds, and the sweet satisfaction of cooking your dinner outside under the stars.

After The Jaguar Club's reprieve in the depths of the wilderness, they confidently entered into Marcata Recordings and laid down 13 tracks under the guidance of Kevin McMahon (French Kicks, The Walkmen, Titus Andronicus, DieDieDie, Frightened Rabbit). This resulted in an amazing amalgamation of tracks propelled forward by Jeremiah Joyce's explosive percussion and Yoichiro Fujita's strong bass-lines with vocals that soar and uplift you courtesy of singer/guitarist Will Popadic's penetrating voice (comparable to that of Morrissey) combined with a lyrical styling reminiscent of David Byrne. Highly Recommended!

The Jaguar Club - Sleepwalking
The Jaguar Club - World Gone By
The Jaguar Club - This Year
The Jaguar Club - Who Says We're The Last
The Jaguar Club @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Bishop Allen - Dimmer
(from Grrr..., out March 2009 on Dead Oceans)

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Bear In Heaven

2009-09-17T15:08:00.003+02:00

Bear in Heaven have trapped echos, tremors, winds, and fading light. They’ve redefined time, and folded it. They’ve unbuttoned sound, and realigned it. Within four walls in Brooklyn, Jon Philpot, Adam Wills, Sadek Bazaara, and Joe Stickney mined the democracy of their collaboration, plus the endless hours of stream-of-consciousness recorded documentation of rehearsals over the past years, to conceive the crystalline form of Beast Rest Forth Mouth, their second album, their exaltation.

A seed planted in the Southern US years ago (all members hail from Georgia or Alabama), Bear In Heaven began as the musical arm of Jon Philpot in 1998. Time eventually brought in a slew of players, like rickety scaffolding, that grew the sound and guided the group to morph from a 6-to-5-to-4-piece. As a four-headed organism, Bear In Heaven has now found a sonic stride unlike any in their history. Freely acknowledging the importance of the number four, the album Beast Rest Forth Mouth (think “East West North South”) was a conscious product of the four compass points, of the four makers, and of the inevitable confusion that manifests from that crossroad mentality: four directions could lead you anywhere and everywhere. It’s the acknowledgement of what can go down at that convergence, at that dusty center, that drives Bear In Heaven and imbues the songs of Beast Rest Forth Mouth with something akin to both eternal peace and nervous urgency.

Beast Rest Forth Mouth will first reveal itself through a limited 12” EP of the track “Wholehearted Mess,” out September 8 on Hometapes. Bear In Heaven curated remixes from Pink Skull, Max Brannslokker, and Arclike, simultaneously creating a unique tributary off their own musical flow and a bona fide club-friendly 12” pressed in multicolor vinyl. Tour dates across the east coast and the south will accompany the album release, adding yet another dimension to the prism of Bear In Heaven, built on sound and vision and everything in the in-between. Recommended!

Bear In Heaven - Lovesick Teenagers
Bear In Heaven - Wholehearted Mess
Bear In Heaven @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Throw Me The Statue - Hi-Fi Goon
(from Creaturesque, out August 2009 on Secretly Canadian)

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Eva & The Heartmaker

2009-09-09T13:52:00.003+02:00

Eva & Thomas might be the 21st century’s answer to Sonny & Cher, Ike & Tina, Paul & Linda, Womack & Womack, and Anita Skorgan & Jahn Teigen. Together they are Eva & The Heartmaker, a duo that is so ready to be stars that your eyes hurt. On September 22nd, they are releasing their album Let’s Keep This Up Forever, and all their dreams will come true.

Inspired by groups like The Band, The Raconteurs, The Cardigans and The Beatles, and with a permanent band consisting of Alf Magne Hillestad (drums), Ingar Blix (bass), Lars Kvistum (Wurlitzer organ) and Anne Marte Nesdal (backing vocals/percussion/support person), they once again entered Thomas’ studio, this time with songs that Eva and Thomas had written together. Their aim was to create a homogenous musical expression, based on the live sound they had worked out. It was to be a long and challenging process, with up to seven different recorded versions of some songs.

Ten pop gems collected in one place. Written, arranged and produced by the enterprising duo, who are never afraid to work hard to achieve their goals. Their goal is to play everywhere, to reach out to listeners and make them happy with the music they've made. With all that’s happen thus far there’s little doubt that Eva & The Heartmaker can reach as far as they want to. Recommended!

Eva & The Heartmaker - Superhero
Eva & The Heartmaker @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Circulatory System (feat. Jeff Mangum) - Round Again
(from Signal Morning, out September 8th on Cloud Recordings)

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The Scratch

2009-09-07T16:38:00.002+02:00

Forget all the talk about grunge or the 80s synth pop revivals. Let’s talk about the proper DIY punk & British rock ‘n’ roll of the 70s! With all of these retro musical references currently out there you can count The Scratch in as maintaining the proper ethics, attitude and sound of that time but adding their own contemporary twist to it for 2009. Envision The Buzzcocks, The Damned and The Clash boiled together with The Wolfmen, Dirty Pretty Things and a hint of Blur creating a spicy stew of fired up power rock that will have you reaching for antacids quicker than a hyena on methamphetamines.

Now, what makes them the hardest working DIY band in Britain, you ask? To their credit The Scratch have previously recorded, produced, mixed, mastered, manufactured (well…tried to buy the equipment to), marketed and released on their own 10 singles and 2 albums via their label Ponyland Records with one of the albums (‘Night Bus or Milk Train’) being re-released due to high demand after their gig to a 22,000 capacity crowd performing alongside Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, The Charlatans, Ian Brown and Echo & The Bunnymen for the Versus Cancer show at MEN Arena in Manchester in 2007. Add to these achievements some heavy UK touring and festival gigs earlier this year showing off their aggressively colourful performance style and you have to take a step back and say: ‘Wow!’

They’re now gearing up for the release of their 3rd album ‘Whatever Happened to Friday Night?’ with their latest single ‘You Want the World’ which is a guitar driven hook monster with shouty vocals you could sing-a-long to at Steve Lemacq’s Punk Rock Karaoke.

Previous singles from the album reached the top 10 peaking as high as #1 on the Tourdates.co.uk Chart already this year. The band have received media support from Xfm including several live sessions and Drivetime interviews (Clint Boon), BBC 6music and BBC 3 Counties, various internet and UK student stations while receiving love from bloggers and webzines. So it looks like The Scratch want the world, and the world is looking like they want The Scratch! Are you ready?

‘You Want the World’ is out 5th October. The album ‘What Ever Happened to Friday Night?’’ is out the 12th October on Ponyland Records. Recommended!

The Scratch - You Want The World
The Scratch @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Flaming Lips - Silver Trembling Hands
(from Embryonic, out October 13th on Warner Bros)

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Bridezilla

2009-08-20T14:10:00.002+02:00

Consisting of Holiday Carmen-Sparks (vocals, guitar), Daisy Tulley (violin), Pia MayCourtley (guitar), Millie Hall (saxophone) and Josh Bush (drums), Bridezilla have become one of the most talked about new bands in Australia thanks to their unique sound and compelling live performances.

Releasing their 2007 debut EP while still in high-school, Bridezilla have become a favourite at Triple J and independent radio, garnering comparisons to everyone from the Dirty Three and Cat Power to PJ Harvey.

Two years later and now signed to respected indie label Inertia, the band are now free from school, exams, and all the corresponding pressures that once demanded their time and attention.

Bridezilla are now singly focused on taking their twisted blend of jazz, folk and pop to the next level.

The Sydney based band have been holed up in a barn in rural NSW recording their debut with iconic US producer Kramer. Recording has finished, and the album is set to be released in the US in 2010.

An industry legend, Kramer has played as part of bands including Ween, Bongwater and Butthole Surfers; spawned his own label & recording studio; as well as produced for the likes of Galaxie 500 (whose entire catalogue he produced), Low (whom he discovered and produced), Daniel Johnston, Palace Songs (aka. Will Oldham/Bonnie “Prince” Billy), King Missile, Half Japanese and Urge Overkill.

The band was hand picked by Nick Cave to play at the Australian ATP Festival and will now share stages with some of the world's biggest acts at ATP Festival in up state New York in September.

With ATP's international endorsement signaling a rapid expansion of Bridezilla’s profile, and Kramer’s involvement on their album hinting at a dramatic extension of their already remarkable sound, you can bet that 2010 will be a big year for Bridezilla. Recommended!

Bridezilla - Brown Paper Bag
Bridezilla @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Postmarks - My Lucky Charm
(from Memoirs At The End Of The World, out August 25th on Unfiltered)

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Historics

2009-08-14T16:08:00.002+02:00

It may seem as if a cosmic aligning of the stars is the only explanation for how the men of Historics came together to release their compelling debut album, Strategies for Apprehension. It’s difficult to imagine what a collaboration between Don Devore (Amazing Baby; Ink & Dagger; The Icarus Line), Josh Grubb (VietNam), Mickey Madden (Maroon 5), Jeff Knutsen (Fast Fourier), and Matt Werth (Favourite Sons) may sound like. Despite their disparate backgrounds, Historics’ have created a meticulously crafted and inimitable sound.

Recorded over the last year in New York and L.A., Strategies is a collection of art-damaged pop that’s as catchy as it is experimental. Over the album’s 45 minutes, the band drifts between sun-kissed psychedelia, pulsing slowcore, shaggy garage rock, and droning electronics. Strategies opens with “Skin Orders,” a tug of war between angular acoustic guitar strums and swirling keyboards, before shifting into a dream-pop chorus. “Taverns” is ripe with bittersweet bliss, where Devore’s melancholy lyrics linger over Grubb’s hypnotic guitar licks.

The most unique moment on Strategies might be the guest appearance by hip-hop’s original extraterrestrial, the legendary Kool Keith,. Keith’s bizarre flow on “Take it to the Top” is complemented by a scattershot pastiche of quirky sounds that defy categorization.

All twelve tracks are rich with sonic detail, a testament to Devore’s abilities behind the board. Devore, who helmed the album’s production with help from his band mates, shape and focuses seemingly incongruous sounds into one mystical, unified vision. Highly Recommended!

Historics - Skin Orders
Historics @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Meat Puppets - Rotten Shame
(from Sewn Together, out May 2009 on Megaforce)

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Mickey Gang

2009-08-03T15:43:00.003+02:00

Straight from Colatina on the eastern coast of Brazil, these four teenagers are set to break hearts all over the world. Arthur, Bruno, Ricardo and Joao Paulo play with a full throttle lust for life. Fresh faced and armed with killer pop hooks, they are ready to take this all the way.

Their songs are manifestos – witness the brilliantly titled ‘Born In The 90s’ that lit up the blogosphere earlier this year, being lauded by BIGSTEREO and NME. Making Julian Casablancas and co look positively old aged, these teenagers are set to blow everything away this year. Brilliantly simple, they are the hottest set of South Americans since CSS burst out a few summers ago. They make future anthems that fire body into action. Recommended!

Mickey Gang - Horses Can't Dance
Mickey Gang @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Baxter - Standing On The Edge Of The Tide
(from End Of The World EP, out August 17th on Malloty Up Records)

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Free albums... Doctor Rosen/The Watermarks

2009-07-27T16:24:00.004+02:00

Lily Allen's latest album, It's Not Me, It's You, has been remixed in its entirety by LA-producer Doctor Rosen Rosen and is available for free download. Doctor Rosen Rosen has reinvented all 12 songs using only Lily's original vocals, replacing everything else with his own musical touch to create a completely different album!

Dr. Rosen - It's Not Me, It's... Doctor Rosen Rosen (free album)

The Watermarks are giving away their entire record for free! Houston’s The Watermarks‘ debut release Thoughts Like Bombs combines their love of rock and electronic music to bring you 7 awesome tracks guaranteed to get you on your feet! As we shared before in our previous post, The Watermarks will be performing alongside some truly terrific acts at this year’s FreePress Summer Fest.

The band’s top priority is to spread their music to as many ears as possible, which is why they have made their entire record available online for download… for free!

The Watermarks - Thoughts Like Bombs (free album)

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SONG OF THE DAY: Dark Knights Of Camelot - Purple Undertones
(from Hurricane EP, out July 14th on Olympic Records)

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The Walkies

2009-07-24T14:28:00.002+02:00

The Walkies are an Akron, OH based band that is made up of Ryan Oxford on Guitar, Scott Hartlaub (former lead singer and guitarist of Goodbye, Ohio!) on banjo, Adam Peters on bass, and Cory Race on drums.

Ryan and Scott formed the band in late 2008. Because of their dedication, they have already cranked out a phenomenal 5-song EP this year aptly named 'EP'. The EP was recorded in Akron and mastered by Magic Garden Studios in Delaware, OH.

If you ever wondered where Bluegrass Street and Indie Rock Avenue Intersect, it's here.

Both Pat Carney and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys have listened to the work of The Walkies and have given their nod of approval.

The Walkies debut 5-song EP can be purchased here. Recommended!

The Walkies - Crops Ain't Worth A Dime
The Walkies - Sing Along
The Walkies @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Megafun - Kaufmans Ballad
(from Gather, Form & Fly, out July 21st on Hometapes)

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The Melloncollies

2009-07-21T15:37:00.003+02:00

With equal doses winsomeness and irreverence, The Melloncollies are the latest in a hallowed line of Brooklyn-bred quintets to unfurl the witty sonic flag and punch back: yes, pop can be daring.

Their debut album, Goodbye Cruel World, finds the band-led by vocalist/guitarist Simon Erani and rounded out by Peter Claro (production/guitars), Darro Sandler(drums), Paul Briscoe (bass) and Rick Treese (keys), in fine lyric fettle, intent on matching their past successes with their latest salvo. Goodbye Cruel World has been called "an emotive exploration of feelings, failures, and fun," a powerful departure from rote pop and saccharine schmaltz.

The full-length finds Erani and co. in spirited form, with some having remarked that The Melloncollies "loosened their ties, rolled up their sleeves and went for it." The result is "a thrilling and moving album, loaded with personality and irreverence." Fit for iPods and ambitious auteurs alike, the work evokes the impact of the hallmark provocateurs: Dylan, Costello, Springsteen; The Proclaimers, The Romantics, The Wallflowers, Maroon 5, all have a place in shaping one of this year's most earnest releases.

Still, The Melloncollies' sound is overwhelmingly their own. They blend a spoonful of rock 'n' roll, a dollop of punk and a sprinkle of classic pop, all smeared with garage overtones. The sound first surfaced on The Mellonollies' unreleased album, Simple Naïve World, two tracks from which, "Simple Naïve Someone" and "Maybe Someday," were featured in Eight Days a Week, an independent film starring Keri Russel. Goodbye Cruel World, recorded in New York's Electric Lady Studio, follows in the same electric rubric, with major assistance from renowned sound engineers Josh Wilbur (Pink) and Brian Sperber (Moby).

At their essence, The Melloncollies find their root in "Melodies...Great melodies." Erani excels behind a guitar and piano, creating the anthems that inspire the frontman to continue to compose and record songs. As his work with The Melloncollies' becomes ever edgier and more sophisticated, the eventual follow-up to Goodbye Cruel World will surely turn out like its predecessor-timely and timeless at the same time. Recommended!

The Melloncollies - Simple Naive Someone
The Melloncollies @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Dodos - Fables
(from Time To Die, out September 15th on Frenchkiss Records)

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Free albums... Dan Costello/Andy Mitchell

2009-07-14T16:00:00.002+02:00

Dan Costello is a songwriter based at The Brooklyn Tea Party, a loft venue and apartment in Bushwick. His new album "Costello" features Rachel Devlin, Michael David Campbell, Eric Wolfson and Brook Pridemore on vocals and a variety of instruments. The album is available digitally worldwide. CDs and Vinyl are only available in person.

Dan is an independent musician, having quit his corporate music job in January 2006. He works as a sound engineer, a recording assistant, a piano player, an open-mic host, an audio consultant, and occasionally as an album producer. He's a member of the Freelancers Union and various arts organizations. He has toured all over Europe, Canada and the United States.

Dan is a member of Creaky Boards, Felt Light Strikes, Eric Wolfson and the War Cabinet, and Brook Pridemore and The Valley Cubs. Dan has produced albums for Soft Black, Annie Crane, Ben Godwin, and Peaks and Valleys and more.

Dan's three albums of original music, "Halloween Baby", "Come Home", and "Costello" are available for purchased download here. You can read about what happens at Brooklyn Tea Party at myspace.com/brooklynteaparty.

Dan Costello - Recession Songs (free album)
Dan Costello @ MySpace

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Andy Mitchell began the first pieces of a new album in late 2008, a little inspired by the appreciation some had given his previous attempts, but on the whole disheartened that they were nothing special and not memorable enough that people would feel compelled to share it with a friend.

"It gave me the feeling that I hadn't tried hard enough, that there must be better songs I can make, longer time I can spend on vocals and recording, and wider sources of influence to widen the range in sound. Perhaps the only worthwhile approach I could have to keep myself moving forward because this album like the others would still be given away for free." said Andy.

Andy Mitchell - Of Nature & Minimal Means (free album)
Andy Mitchell @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Why? - This Blackest Purse
(from Eskimo Snow, out September 22nd on Anticon)

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Generationals

2009-07-09T17:37:00.002+02:00

Generationals is the collaboration of Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer. Following the breakup of their previous band the Eames Era, they returned home to New Orleans in 2008 to form Generationals and record their first record, Con Law.

They tapped the Oranges Band founder Daniel Black (the mind behind the Eames Era's swan song Heroes and Sheroes) to engineer and produce the record at his D.C.-based home-studio. Black recorded Con Law in the style of his heroes—George Martin, Phil Spector, Jeff Lynn and Quincy Jones—with a meticulous attention to detail and a willingness to make the recordings sound old. The result is one of those classic “first record” moments that blissfully wills its listeners into repeat listens.

The sounds of Con Law were cobbled together from the far corners of the instrument room to form a cohesive group of songs written in straight-forward pop structures. Chiming 12-string electric guitars sit next to 8-bit sequencers, synth-bass and trumpet. Often the shakers, hand-claps and acoustic guitars sound like Paul Simon and Tom Petty, while another arrangement recalls Junior Walker and Booker T., all recorded to an old 24-track 2-inch tape machine that threatened to melt down several times.

Live, the Generationals can include as many as seven pieces with background singers, a trumpet, guitars, keys, bass and drums. And when the whole band is singing en masse on songs like "Faces in the Dark" and "When They Fight, They Fight," …shit sounds real good. You would want to be there when that happens.

Park the Van Records returned to New Orleans in December of 2008, four years after the label was birthed in the same zip code. A chance meeting at the Mid-City Yacht Club (not what it sounds like) led to discussion about Park the Van’s dearly missed the Teeth, the Spinto Band, Dr. Dog and the Grant and Ted’s new band. A handoff of their “just mastered” album led to an almost immediate signing with Park the Van. Generationals are the first New Orleans band signed to Park the Van. Con Law, their debut record, is available for your ears on July 21st, 2009 on Park the Van Records. Recommended!

Generationals - When They Fight They Fight
Generationals @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Windmill - Big Boom
(from Epcot Starfields, out September 15th on Friendly Fire)

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Free album release... The Grizzly Owls

2009-07-03T16:45:00.002+02:00

The Grizzly Owls became inspired by their grandparent's journey from Oklahoma to Bakersfield, California during the Dust Bowl migration. Keeping in tradition with their Dust ... (more) Bowl roots, the Grizzly Owls looked to the originators of the ''Bakersfield Sound'' (country legends such as Buck Owens and Merle Haggard) for role models. The Grizzly Owls are Jenny Andreotti (vocals, harmonica, and percussion) and Joseph Andreotti (guitar, bass, percussion, piano, and keys). The Andreotti's have been married for four years, and have been making music together for seven. After years of struggling with other musical projects, the Andreotti's are confident that they have mastered ''The Grizzly Owls Sound.''

"By Night On My Bed," the Grizzly Owls self-released full-length debut, is the closest the Andreotti's have come to making their initial musical vision a reality. The record was influenced by such greats as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Tom Waits, Lee Hazelwood, Nancy Sinatra, Leonard Cohen, Raymond Carver, Henry David Thoreau, the spaghetti westerns of the 1960s, and all of the French new-wave films of Jean-Luc Godard. By Night On My Bed was recorded at the Dust Bowl by Joseph Andreotti and recorded, mixed, and mastered at Red Rockets Glare by Raymond Richards (The Idaho Falls, Mojave 3) The multi-talented Richards also contributed pedal steel guitar, baritone guitar, and vibraphone to the recordings. The Andreotti's (along with the help from Richards) have produced a whimsical record full of tales about death, lust, love, and obsession.

After a successful promotional run with Fanatic, The Grizzly Owls returned to Red Rockets Glare to record another handful of songs. Richards continued to add his unique touch by contributing pedal steel guitar and banjo, while Rob Poynter (Idaho Falls, Harpeth Trace) added drums and some pots and pans to the new recordings. The recordings resulted with a sound that is one part Tom Waits, one part shoegaze, and one part spaghetti western. Recommended!

Grizzly Owls - I Am A Shootist EP (free download)
Grizzly Owls @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Silent Years - Taking Drugs At The Amusement Park
(from Let Go EP, out July 14th on SideCho Records)

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Forest Fire

2009-06-25T11:27:00.003+02:00

Hailing from Brooklyn, Forest Fire are responsible for a fine brew of lofi folk that unabashedly nods to the world of punk. Their tracks are littered with out of tune horns, vibrant bursts of guitar and layers of screeching electronics. 'Survival' - their forthcoming album, is a moment-to-moment kind of recording. Songs of total grit will part to reveal blue sky, before dissolving once again into disorder. Recorded over an eight month period in both Brooklyn and Portland, many of Survival's tracks were recorded live in less than five takes, then maniacally overdubbed by a variety of players. Sometimes there was only one microphone for the entire band. Sometimes they pulled out a few more. The result is an album which was rated as Le Blogotheque's album of the year, over the likes of Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, before it had even been officially released. Broken Sound is hugely proud to be bringing this album to your ears this summer.

“Survival” is the striking debut album from Forest Fire, four talented individuals who met in New York over the past few years and began making music together in 2008. Survival was recorded over an eight month period in two locations - Brooklyn, New York and Portland, Oregon. To record Survival the band set up a microphone in the centre of the studio and arranged themselves around it. Survival is a moment-to-moment kind of recording. Songs of total grit will suddenly part to reveal blue sky, before dissolving once again into disorder. On tracks such as “Slow Motion” and “Sunshine City”, sparse arrangements creep along then grow as thick and tangled as jungle brush. On “Through My Gloves”, Thresher spits in waves, threatening and concise, and ditches the restrained lyrical approach for a moment. By contrast, “I Make Windows” aches along delicately and the catchy and imaginative “Fortune Teller” demonstrates an outright pop sensibility. Survival is a modern album, built with enough fortitude and spirit to warrant repeated listens. Highly Recommended!

Forest Fire - I Make Windows
Forest Fire - Fortune Teller
Forest Fire @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Twin Of Myself (The Go! Team Remix)
(Twin Of Myself is featured on the new BMSR's album Eating Us)

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Soft Black

2009-06-18T14:33:00.002+02:00

Soft Black are four piece garage rock band hailing from NYC. The band members are Vincent Cacchione (Vox, Guitar, Fearless Leader), Michael Stefanov (Drums), Brian Amsterdam (Guitar) and Matthew Molnar (Bass).

On the heels of successful releases from Brooklyn's Vivian Girls and The Royal Chains, Plays With Dolls Records got a hold of these recordings and helped the band to complete the album by putting them in the studio with engineer Charles Burst at Brooklyn's Seaside Lounge (Neko Case, Crystal Stilts, Psychic Ills). During one crazed session, the band recorded the remainder of the album live in under two takes. Those recordings were then maniacally overdubbed and crafted over a further week of recording. The album is formed by equal parts of these sessions.

"The Earth is Black," Soft Black's second LP, was recorded to analog tape over an eight month period. Vincent Cacchione, the bands principle songwriter, began tracking in the New Jersey basement of a dear friend, Nick Coleman, on modest 8 track home recording gear. Most of the basics carved out in just a few takes, the duo of Cacchione and Coleman meticulously crafted each track, orchestrating the album with bursts of noise and melody. Recommended!

Soft Black - The Lions
Soft Black - I Am An Animal
Soft Black @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Skygreen Leopards - Dixie Cups In The Dead Grass
(from Gorgeous Johnny, out July 21st on Jagjaguwar)

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The Ropes

2009-06-17T14:29:00.002+02:00

NYC based duo The Ropes are vocalist/bassist Sharon Shy and multi-instrumentalist Toppy (known for playing drums with the guitar hanging around his neck). Notorious for their engaging lyrics, The Ropes have toured extensively throughout the US and UK, opening for acts such as The Used, Innerpartysystem, The Matches, and others.

The Ropes have released an EP titled “Cry to the Beat” and a full length album “What They Do For Fun”, both produced by Nic Hard (The Bravery, The Church) and Toppy. The Ropes are set to release new EP titled 'Clubs In Europe Forever'. The Clubs in Europe Forever EP is shipping from June 2, 2009. Recommended!

The Ropes - Clubs In Europe Forever
The Ropes - Robot Now, Human Later
The Ropes @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Patterson Hood - I Understand Now
(from Murdering Oscar (and other love songs), out June 23rd on Thirty Tigers)

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Royal City

2009-06-09T18:02:00.002+02:00

Royal City were formed in in 1999 at Jim Guthrie's house in downtown Guelph Ontario. The band was fronted by Aaron Riches, well known in the local all ages punk scene for having booked and opening up for Fugazi, his releases on DROG Records, and for being the subject of a Robert Munsch book as a child.

Originally called The Royal City All Stars, the band had moved to Toronto after signing with Three Gut Records. At Three Gut, Royal City joined label mates Cuff The Duke and The Constantines in Toronto's early 2000s music scene. While working with many collaborators, the core of Royal City consisted of Aaron Riches, Lonnie James, Simon Osborne and Jim Guthrie. James replaced original drummer Nathan Lawr in 2002.

During their time as a band, Royal City toured across Canada, playing places such as Whitehorse, in the Yukon Territories, and opening for such musicians as Sarah Harmer. In 2002, a then-unknown Arcade Fire open for the band on a series of tour dates, and in 2003 the band played in Sufjan Stevens' living room as their first show in New York City.

The band was also host to a number of notable collaborations, including Leslie Feist, Sufjan Stevens, Final Fantasy, Gentleman Reg and Bob Wiseman.

After disbanding in 2004, Aaron Riches went on to study Radical Orthodoxy under John Milbank at the University of Nottingham. Nathan Lawr continues to release music as a solo artist, and Jim Guthrie is an active member in Human Highway, and as a touring member of Islands.

In early 2009, Sufjan Stevens' Asthmatic Kitty records released "A Belly Was Made for Wine", a song from the band's upcoming b-sides release "Royal City". Recommended!

Royal City - Can't You Hear Me Calling
Royal City - A Belly Was Made For Wine

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SONG OF THE DAY: Jeff Hanson - This Time It Will (RIP)

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The Morakestra

2009-06-08T10:55:00.002+02:00

Nothing qualifies the sound and essence of Morakestra more than El Paso. Founders and key creative minds David and Will Mora are twin brothers who were proudly born and raised in the West Texas border city. Fellow El Pasoan Jim Ward contributed to the rebirth of Morakestra via production and recording of the band’s latest album, Witness to Connection, out June 2nd on indie label Stratking Records. A musical legend in El Paso, Ward founded post-hardcore innovators At the Drive-In, rock quintet Sparta and alt-country act Sleepercar. Witness to Connection is the first for Ward’s new producing partnership with jack-of-all-trades musician and sound engineer Gabe Gonzalez, who is getting greater acclaim for his production work with bands like San Antonio’s Girl in a Coma.

The twins took guitar lessons as children from local guitar legends Mario Otero and Charles Teitsworth, who pushed the boys towards honing original compositions into solid tunes. In early 2007, the Moras began recording their debut album Live from Moraq in Austin. An acclaimed line-up of session musicians contributed to the project, including Robert Palmer drummer Donnie Wynn,Eric Johnson’s bass player Chris Maresh and the Tosca String Quartet. The brothers did all the guitar work and vocals themselves, also producing it on their own. Live from Moraq was released in Summer 2007,while the brothers continued to assemble an ever-revolving cast of musicians around them for live gigs. Word of mouth built up about “the twins who were dueling guitar players.” Success with recording Morakestra’s, Witness to Connection, was Gonzalez and Ward’s expertise. “The guidance we gave them I don’t think I can put into words—that’s the intimate part of making a record with someone,” says Ward. “I’ve had that experience as an artist with producers that I look up to. It’s so much more than just music; you end up spending so much time together in close confines that it extends to a personal life…I want to leave younger bands with a more positive experience, be a positive role model…it’s fun to be around that energy, that push of, “I’ll do anything to get my music heard” thing, because that inspires.”

For while the subject matter of their songs is universal, the Morakestra sound is very much their own. Ward felt a felt a greater connection to the Moras’ music beyond the city kinship.” They have interesting chords, which I like, and even though their voices are similar they’re distinct enough to complement each other really well,” he explains. Witness to Connection displays interesting guitar signatures, thunderous drums, and effective melodies. Drummer Daniel Gomez and Bassist Guillermo Vargas joined the Morakestra in postproduction. They have played together in bands in the past and have a similar connection with the twins in time signature and musical structuring. Recommended!

The Morakestra - Tell You Something
The Morakestra @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Bellini - Numbers
(from The Precious Prize Of Gravity, released May 19th on Temporary Residence)

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The Turf

2009-06-05T14:54:00.002+02:00

The Turf is an indie/rock/pop band from Nashville, TN. Guitar-player/keyboardist Slade Utley and singer/guitar-player Brendan Mayer are sons of musicians themselves (Mike Utley and Peter Mayer, both of whom play with Jimmy Buffet). Combined with bassist Nigel Hood and drummer Nick Carter, their creativity helps construct a genuinely intricate and imaginative sound, combing a rough, edgy side with more spacious, softer, and melodic elements.

The band was started in the summer of 2006 by close high school friends who have been writing, performing, and recording ever since. The band has been compared to The Strokes, Artic Monkeys, or The Rapture, however their influences come from artists such as Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Talking Heads, as well as many others.

The band has finished the work on their debut album, entitled “Fascination of a Sort”, available for streaming on WEDNESDAY JUNE 10th. The guys spent all of last summer recording the record in Lala Land Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and then finished up in our hometown. It is produced, recorded, engineered, and mixed by Jason Hall, with additional production and mixing by Jim Mayer and mastering by Jim Demain. The album will be offered for free via The Turf MySpace page. Recommended!

The Turf - The Sexing
The Turf - Prey
The Turf @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Radio Dept. - David
(from Clinging To a Scheme, out June 2009 on Labrador)

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Free album release... Coldplay

2009-05-18T14:46:00.002+02:00

Coldplay has released a free live album, titled "LeftRightLeftRightLeft" and taken from their Viva la Vida World Tour, for download from their official site. Taken from a recent news article on the site:

"Good afternoon. As previously announced, Coldplay are to give away CDs of their new live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft, at every remaining live show in 2009 (apart from festival shows), beginning with their West Palm Beach gig in Florida on Friday (May 15th).

Friday is also the day when the free download of the album will become available right here on Coldplay.com. If you want to be among the very first to have it, then set a reminder for 9am UK time, as we can now confirm that's when the download will be going live. Click here to find out what time that is where you are."

Coldplay - LeftRightLeftRightLeft (free album download)

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SONG OF THE DAY: Sally Shapiro - Miracle
(from forthcoming album, to be released on on Paper Bag Records)

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Cage The Elephant

2009-05-15T15:10:00.002+02:00

Cage the Elephant is an American rock band from Bowling Green, Kentucky. Their single "Ain't No Rest For the Wicked" reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. The band signed with EMI Records after showcasing at the 2007 South by Southwest music festival, and then moved to East London, England.

They released their self-titled debut album, Cage the Elephant, on 23 June 2008. The album obtained favorable reviews, which praised its delivery of powerful rock. Cage the Elephant increased their fanbase after appearing as a support act on tour with The Pigeon Detectives in early 2008. The single, "Ain't No Rest For the Wicked", was free single of the week on iTunes for the week of April 12. Recommended!

Cage The Elephant - The Tiny Little Robots
Cage The Elephant - Lotus
Cage The Elephant - I Wanna Be Your Dog ( Iggy Pop & The Stooges cover)
Cage The Elephant @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Julian Plenti (Paul Banks from Interpol) - Fun That We Have
(from Skyscraper, out August 4th on Matador)

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Free album release... Boris Skalsky

2009-05-14T11:12:00.002+02:00

In 2005, Boris Skalsky, fresh from the break-up of his prior band Phaser, began writing music under the moniker Dead Heart Bloom. He released two records, a 2006 self-titled debut album and 2007’s Chelsea Diaries. In 2008, Boris felt himself being drawn again to the group dynamic, and Dead Heart Bloom began morphing from a solo project to a full collaborative endeavor, finally developing into a four-piece band. In this new guise Dead Heart Bloom released a series of three EPs in 2008, ranging from the fierce aggression of a loud rock tune to the spaced-out vibe of an ambient folk revival, with plans for a 2009 follow-up.

Yet while the dynamics of Dead Heart Bloom were transforming, Boris continued writing the more stripped-down songs that defined the 2007 acoustic release Chelsea Diaries. Because these new songs no longer fit the Dead Heart Bloom aesthetic, Boris is releasing them as a true solo album, an eight song collection titled First Songs.

These eight tracks, from the acoustic jangle of “It’s A Truth” to the reverb-ed piano of “A Love To Remember,” are drawn from some 20 unreleased songs written and recorded between 2007 and 2008. They were composed and recorded spontaneously: tracked the night they were written, with limited overdubs, no extra musicians, and no weeks of hand wringing over rough guitar tones and raw vocal takes. The intention was to preserve the honesty of the performance and the directness of the lyrics— to capture the first vibe, the first inspiration, the first take. The first song.

First Songs was written, performed, and recorded by Boris Skalsky. The record will be released digitally through the newly launched website in May and will be available through a number of online digital stores beginning June 2nd. Recommended!

Boris Skalsky - Bright Eyes Gone
Boris Skalsky - First Songs (full album download)

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SONG OF THE DAY: Bowerbirds - Northern Lights
(from Upper Air, out July 7th on Dead Oceans)

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Little Big Adventure

2009-05-12T11:43:00.003+02:00

Things turned when I took all my savings and bought a Casio-keyboard. Instead of writing boring guitar songs I could now play everything on this. I’m not exactly a skilled keyboard player so I recorded everything note by note and then cut it all together in my music program. To cover up all my technical flaws I put a noise filter on everything so that no one could hear the glitches between the notes, and no one could hear the noise from the microphone, as everything was noisy.

This was back in the year 2004 and now five years have passed and nothing much has happened. I still write about what has happened since last I was drunk. But now I also write about trying people at school, trying people on the streets, or trying people on the Internet. Or songs about my low self esteem. Or about hate.

I once tried to explain that all my songs are about hate, and that’s probably true, with some very few exceptions. (by Magnus Sätterström, Little Big Adventure)

Little Big Adventure is the brainchild of Magnus Sätterström who studies on technical college, named his band after a PC game from 1994 and he writes eccentric pop songs about hate. The debut EP called "The Hateful Eye EP" is set for release on May 13 on Labrador. Recommended!

Little Big Adventure - Happiest Times
Little Big Adventure - Free Mp3's
Little Big Adventure @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Dinosaur Jr. - I Want You To Know
(from Farm, out June 22nd on PIAS/Jagjaguwar)

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Recluse

2009-05-11T18:09:00.003+02:00

Recluse is a band from New York City that was started by Tim Barr in the summer of 2007. Recluse evokes feelings of deep emotion rooted in a rock/pop vibe. The combination of diligent guitar work and songwriting as well as intense raw vocals creates a depth not commonly felt in today's popular music. Fed up with writing and performing strictly in the confines of his bedroom, Tim enlisted his close friends, Charles Mctavish, James Nelson and Peter Mistretta to play drums, bass and guitar respectively. They began rehearsing in the basement of a building in the manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea. After several months of practicing the band went into the studio to cut their first EP.

After many hours and sleepless nights, the band completed their first EP which officially pressed in march of 2008. The band has been playing shows all throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn as well as parts of upstate New York. At the present time Recluse is back in the studio recording more tracks to complete their full length record. Recommended!

Recluse - Perfect Sight
Recluse @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Jeremy Enigk - Life Is Too Short
(from OK Bear, out on May 12th on Lewis Hollow)

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Royal Wood

2009-04-23T14:11:00.004+02:00

Artistic influences can be a curious mix of inheritance and inspiration. From a second-hand vinyl collection to an intuited sense for music’s creation, Royal Wood has come a long way from the days of borrowed instruments and secondhand cassette tapes. This self-taught multi-instrumental artist has an ear for everything, from Sgt. Pepper's to Vince Guaraldi. Royal draws from generations past but not forgotten; his music sensibility is timeless but never dated.

Like a ribbon of Super 8 tape that contains blurry, sun-saturated summer memories, Royal¹s piano-soaked style is unapologetically romantic and unabashedly nostalgic. This filmic quality has made for an easy transition to film and television, and Royal¹s music has been included in many high-profile soundtracks as a result.

The sweet melancholy of loves lost and found diffuses throughout Royal’s two full-length albums and now two EPs, including the celebrated 2007 release A Good Enough Day, which brought rave reviews, international radio play, multiple European and US tours, and a recent sold-out appearance in Toronto, ON. Royal’s touring resume also confirms a growing acknowledgement of his work among Canada’s top musicians, exemplified by national invitations from Sarah Slean, Jill Barber and Serena Ryder.

Royal’s approach harkens back to traditions of song crafting that go straight to the heart of the relationship an artist creates with an audience. As great songwriting defies the whimsies of a trend, Royal’s classic songs explore the architecture of emotions upon which our most cherished relationships are built. Named an iTunes Songwriter of the Year in 2008, Royal’s music shares an emotional immediacy with the listener that creates a lingering feeling of intimacy with his recordings and live performances.

With The Lost and Found EP, melody is once again at the forefront, casting lyrics and rich string arrangements in the filmic light of memories and dreams. Recommended!

Royal Wood - Don't Fall Apart
Royal Wood @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: NOMO - Invisible Cities
(from Invisible Cities, out May 5th on Ubiquity Records)

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Evan Voytas

2009-04-21T14:06:00.002+02:00

After spending time in New York City, the deserts of New Mexico, a farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania, and a tour bus constantly surrounded by teenage girls, Evan Voytas is presently in Los Angeles. With influences ranging from underground hip hop to classic sunshine pop, Voytas dresses like your grandpa and sounds like the future.

After releasing his debut EP, "Introducing Evan Voytas" and a digital single via RCRD LBL, Evan Voytas returns with another EP entitled "The New Dynamic Sound of Evan Voytas". The first glimpse of "The New Dynamic Sound of Evan Voytas" is a neo-retro road trip called "Getting Higher", a sure-shot dance floor jammer. Also make sure to check out Evan's MySpace exclusive "I Took a Trip On a Plane" at myspace.com/evanvoytas. "The New Dynamic Sound of Evan Voytas" will be released May 5th on downtown LA's new label, PolyMono Op. Recommended!

Evan Voytas - Getting Higher
Evan Voytas - We'd Be Good Together
Evan Voytas - Never My Love (cover)
Evan Voytas @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Sunset Rubdown - Idiot Heart
(from Dragonslayer, out June 23rd on Jagjaguwar)

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Free Album Release... The Marshmallow Pop Orchestra

2009-04-17T11:20:00.002+02:00

The Marshmallow Pop Orchestra is a one man indie project of Matt S.

Here is how Matt describes himself:

"Drummer, marginal guitar player, shaky singer, two fingered keyboard player, drum machiner, minor league baseball player, taco eater, donut maker, crayon user, nirvana fan, bootleg collector, boxing fan (1985 to 2000), MMA fan (present), vintage video game lover, player of an entire season of Bases Load II for NES, (yes) it took me almost a decade to beat Mike Tyson, collage graduate, (yes) I enjoy mowing the lawn on warm summer days, I am a former Great Bluedini (Kool-Aid) collector, I am a music blog lover, I am a runner, a Steven Seagal fan, a Don Swayze fan, a former 90210 watcher, a former Saved by the Bell enthusiast, traveler, dreamer, a searcher of a definitive version of the orig. Beach Boys (AKA Brain Wilson's) SMILE, mourner of no more (25 cent) arcades in malls, mourner of new technologies (cell phones, blackberries, etc), mourner of chain restaurants, frustrated with societies excessive life styles and ignorance towards those less fortunate, I am up, I am down, I am up, I am down.. I LOVE to record and share my music... I love recording very quickly, trying to capture the moment, not perfection. I find beauty and inspiration in the imperfections of all aspects of life.. I hope you find beauty and inspiration in my musically and sonically imperfect soundscapes."

The Marshmallow Pop Orchestra is proud to present "It shakes me down" as the second single from “Songs to Fly away to.” A collection of very personal songs written, recorded, and mixed very quickly between March 2007 to March 2009.

Perfect takes and polished mixes were not the goal of this album. Many musical parts and lyrics were written and recorded while the zip disks were running. The songs were recorded exclusively on a BOSS BR-8 Digital 8 Track Recorder with two Department Store Keyboards (Casio / Yamaha), a BOSS BR-8, a “Rod Lama” distortion pedal, and a Weston guitar plugged directly into the recorder. For an optimum listening experience, please listen to the entire album (track 1 – 12) while driving in the driver’s seat of an automobile. Tracks 13 to 24 are bonus tracks. These tracks include outtakes, holiday singles, a Pittsburgh Steelers fight song, and a cover of the Beck classic, “Puttin’ it down.”

The Marshmallow Pop Orchestra's album is an amazing achievement for a single musician. It's an example of DIY philosophy practiced at it's best. Congratulations Matt! Highly Recommended!

The Marshmallow Pop Orchestra - Songs To Fly Away (free album download)
The Marshmallow Pop Orchestra @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Black Moth Super Rainbow - Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Rise
(from Eating Us, out on May 26th on Graveface)

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Run Toto Run

2009-04-14T17:00:00.002+02:00

Run Toto Run is 4 piece indie band from Manchester, UK. The band consist of Rachel (writes the words, lead vocals, various percussion, flutes and melodica), Mike (synths, backing vocals, keys and guitar), Cazz (keyboards, backing vocals, percussion, recorder, electronics) and K!d Farthing (Matt) (violin, keyboards, electronics and clever stuff). The influences include Sufjan, Mum, Seabear, The Postal Service, Au Revoir Simone, My Brightest Diamond, Stickboy and A Kerzillion More.

The previous releases from Stickboy and Run Toto Run were warmly received so that the band decided to send some more tracks out into the big wide world. Stickboy found so much love last time round that he's found himself in a happy place and consequently isn't writing much at the moment. But after Run Toto Run somehow found themselves on the 0fficial In The City list last October, in spite of the fact none of them remember entering, they've knuckled down and spent the winter months hibernating in the studio. Low and behold they've emerged with a whole raft of new tunes, have somehow transmogrified into an electro band and one of them seems to have evolved from a 6”8 double bass playing male to a 5”8 synth-wielding female. So it goes.

Run Toto Run will be putting out their latest single “Plastic Gold” on Monday 8th June with a b-side entitled Alice. They've also added a cheeky little remix of Alice by welsh synth-pop wizard Rod Thomas. You can expect a five track EP from the band later in the year. Recommended!

Run Toto Run - Plastic Gold
Run Toto Run - Alice
Run Toto Run - Alice (Rod Thomas Remix)
Run Toto Run @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Band Of Skulls - Blood
(from Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, out on 2009 on You Are Here/ Shangri-La/ Phi, itunes release)

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Snowglobe

2009-04-08T17:17:00.002+02:00

Snowglobe is a rather amorphous, unwieldy group of artists who share a love for all things honest, poppy, and psychedelic. All members to date hail from Memphis, TN, but the music and idea of Snowglobe has its origins in Athens, GA. The group played many of it’s first shows with the artists of the elephant 6 collective, including Of Montreal and Olivia Tremor Control. They have since returned home, and today Snowglobe strives to continue the age old Memphis tradition of playing honest music for the right reasons.

Snowglobe will be featured in the upcoming MTV series $5 cover, along w/ Paul “Snowflake” Taylor and may other talented Memphis artists. Three of the songs on this EP will be highlighted in the show. In addition, Snowglobe’s full length, which will feature two of these tracks, is slated for release in the fall/winter. The release of new album 'No Need To Light A Night Light On..' is set for May 26th. Recommended!

Snowglobe - Get It On
Snowglobe @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Mono - Ashes In The Snow
(from Hymn To The Immortal Wind, out March 24 on Temporary Residence)

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Pilot Speed

2009-04-02T13:29:00.003+02:00

Setting out to write appealing pop songs in today's climate can be a daunting task. "Real" rock fans can tend to turn their noses up at catchy hooks and memorable choruses, preferring instead twisty, multi-part constructions that show off convoluted music theory; pop is considered disposable teeny-bopper fare … when it's considered at all.

But Pilot Speed seeks to change those attitudes. Equally at home with thoughtful, introspective soundscapes and with solid verse/chorus/verse tunes designed to be blasted from the radio, the Canadian four-piece has, with Wooden Bones, delivered a set that should take them straight to rock's big leagues.

Pilot Speed, a Canadian four-piece, will be releasing their album Wooden Bones on April 28th. Lead vocalist Todd Clark describes their album as "Art songs with hooks". The record was produced by Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, The Hives, Throwing Muses, Elvis Costello & The Imposters). Recommended!

Pilot Speed - Put The Phone Down
Pilot Speed @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Super Furry Animals - Inaugural Trams
(from Dark Days/Light Years, released at March 16th on Rough Trade)

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South Ambulance

2009-03-30T14:00:00.002+02:00

The Stockholm band South Ambulance was formed in late 2003 by Pietu Kaipainen, Daniel Filipsson, Robin Spurrier & Daniel Gamba, with the ambition to write good music on Saturdays and record it on Sundays. In November the same year, four songs were caught on tape and the band was offered to do their first live set at a club in Stockholm. The audience was happy, Swedish radio started to play the music and magazines wrote nice words so the band decided to put out their ep#1 on cd-r. “Die 5times times5”, their first recording, was spread on the internet and became kind of a hit in Sweden. During 2004 south ambulance did gigs, recorded more songs, participated on compilations and released ep#2 & ep#3, still with great support from fans, radio and magazines.

In January 2005 friend & percussion/keyboard player Stefan Lindström joined the band. Sonic magazine put “Saturdays for sad excuses” on their compilation sonically speaking. More concerts, radio airplay and song writing led the band to finally sell its soul and sign with Labrador. Their first album was released on the 23rd of march 2005. When this biography was written south ambulance just finished their recording of the pale saints song “kinky love” which will be on an English indie cover compilation published by London based AC30. South ambulance may not be a Sunday band anymore.

In the period 2004-2005 the band released debut album and three EPs titled by numbers. After the break, the band is back with the new EP titled EP #4. The EP #5 and EP #6 are planned for the rest of the year. Recommended!

South Ambulance - Davy Crockett
South Ambulance @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Marry Onettes - Dare
(from EP/CD Dare, out on April 29th on Labrador)

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Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound

2009-03-24T12:40:00.002+01:00

San Francisco’s Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound is a soundtrack for strange days and futures bright and bleak. But there is also a crooked thread that runs backward through every Assemble Head record—the celestial trajectories of The Notorious Byrd Brothers and circa ‘70 Floyd; the dusty canyon stomps of Crazy Horse, slashing action pop of the savage young Who, Italian bastardizations of Lalo Schifrin cop movie scores, and the scuzz-bomb shrapnel of latter-day garage mongers like Mudhoney and Monoshock.

The band’s third LP, When Sweet Sleep Returned, is propelled to some extent by that same glorious distillate. But it also finds the group speaking their own twisted tongue more assuredly than ever—marrying hazy Saturday moods, interstellar sonics and wrecking-ball swing to song and harmony in poems for California, lovers, ghosts, the stars, and a world gone stark raving mad.

For When Sweet Sleep Returned, Assemble Head re-united with engineering mastermind Tim Green, who manned the controls for masterpieces from Howlin’ Rain, Comets on Fire, Six Organs of Admittance, and Earthless, as well as Assemble Head’s 2007 release Ekranoplan.

The band entered Green’s Louder Studios in October 2008 with an expanded lineup including original trio Michael Lardas, Jefferson Marshall and Charlie Saufley; longtime theremin and synth collaborator Anderson Lanbridge; and mega-multi-instrumentalist Camilla Saufley. The band also reached out to Brett Constatino and Evan Reese of fellow Frisco freaks Sleepy Sun, for vocal harmonies on the beautifully sprawling and soaring “Two Birds.”

Elsewhere, When Sweet Sleep Returned finds Assemble Head exploring the sun-dappled terrain of daydreams on “The Slumbering Ones”, hard-chugging crust-fuzz boogie on “Clive and the Lyre”, bittersweet melodiousness on “By the Rippling Green”, and space-temple chorale chime on “Kolob Canyon.” Recommended!

Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound - Two Birds
Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Apostle Of Hustle - Perfect Fit
(from Eats Darkness, out on May 19th on Arts & Crafts)

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InBirdsEye

2009-03-23T17:01:00.004+01:00

Inbirdseye is a four piece DIY indie band from Elkahrt, Indiana. The band members are Garrett Fitzgerald (guitar, vocals), Ty Thomas (guitar, vocals), Andrew Bozymowski (bass) and Ryan Lackner (drums). The band has been described as "the Appleseed Cast meets Sonic Youth meets My Bloody Valentine".

The band's music is sometimes described as mathrock!?, but I would simply describe it as indie rock... and a very good one. If you like Band Of Horses or Frank Black's Pixies era, you'll probably love InBirdsEye. They promise a lot.

Recently, the band released their first ever single 'They won't see'. The single is free to download as well as the other two songs from their 'Tres Songs' demo release. Although the presented songs are demos, they doubtlessly discover a great potential of the Indiana newcomers. InBirdsEye is up to now the most pleasant surprise of 2009. Highly Recommended!

InBirdsEye - They Won't See
InBirdsEye - Tres Songs (3 songs demo release)
InBirdsEye @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Maximo Park - Wraithlike
(from Quicken the Heart, out on May 11th on Warp Records)

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Deastro

2009-03-19T13:08:00.004+01:00

When Randolph Chabot, the 22-year-old auteur behind Deastro, is asked about the title of his new album, he recounts a dream about a prince, a kingdom, an evil King of Darkness, and a search for the mythical “Moondagger,” the bearer of which wields ultimate power. And while Moondagger, Deastro’s astonishing new album, does contain traces of that dream–in all of its bittersweet, fantasy-novel glory–the record itself is infinitely more down-to-earth, containing the sort of unrelentingly earnest, inspirational pop music that could only come from a kid weaned on fiction but living desperately, joyously in the here-and-now.

Moondagger expands upon the positive electro-pop of Keepers – Deastro’s home-recorded opus from 2008 – with the addition of a full band. Thankfully, the mercurial, prolific Chabot still seems blissfully unaware of his music’s genreless-ness. Thick, atmospheric production obscures bright, starry-eyed melodies; ecstatic synth squiggles dance around new-wave beats on songs about Nordics, toxic crusaders, and geometric shapes; arrangement ideas bounce off one another within ambitious song structures that swerve left, then right, then left again.

And yet underneath all of their seeming irreverence, Deastro’s songs are breathtakingly down-to-earth – melodic slices of synth-led experimental pop whose energy builds with each iteration of the chorus, hitting emotional peak after emotional peak until they collapse in a heap. The album-opening “Biophelia” can barely contain its heart-in-throat urgency, Chabot’s rapid-fire delivery slicing through layers of shoegaze-y ambience; “Vermillion Plaza,” plucky synth arpeggios ricochet off cavernous echo-chamber walls, Chabot pleads for human contact, asking “would you be my son, ‘cause of all of mine have died?”

Moondagger hums with Chabot’s faith in the goodness of his family and friends (“People are so amazing that I can’t help but write about what makes them who they are,” Chabot says), and yet, there’s a lurking sense that the optimist’s fight is never over. The title of Moondagger’s centerpiece, “Daniel Johnston Was Stabbed in the Heart with the Moondagger by the King of Darkness and His Ghost Is Writing this Song as a Warning to All of Us,” says it all: Among all the Beach Boys backing vocals and keyboard confetti-curliques, there’s an eternal battle raging; with Deastro, Randolph Chabot is out to win the war for the forces of good. Recommended!

Deastro - Parallelogram
Deastro - The Shaded Forests
Deastro - Leah's Daughter The Giraffe
Deastro @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Jeremy Enigk - Mind Idea
(from OK Bear, out on May 12th on Lewis Hollow)

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Here We go Magic

2009-03-13T18:41:00.000+01:00

Here We Go Magic's first record was recorded by Luke Temple, it is a project based on non editing linear movement. He made it quick and with a very limited palate of equipment. It has many layers and is best experienced with head phones or in a car. It is also important to note that there was no electronic looping of any kind involved in the more "song" oriented numbers on the record, it is important to say this because there is an imperfect breath that might otherwise go unnoticed. He feels it has good energy and emotion and hopes you do too. Now, the seed of this recording has sprouted a band consisting of Luke Temple (guitar, synth, vox), AJ Lambert (bass, vox), Alex Luther (keys, vox, guitars), Michael Bloch (guitars, vox), and Peter Hale (drums, sounds). The band is becoming it's own thing.

To date, Luke Temple has been unconfined by genre. His full-length debut Hold a Match for a Gasoline World presented heartfelt folk tunes and expansive pop numbers filtered through a unique outsider perspective. Last year's follow-up Snowbeast was an avant statement full of interwoven light and dark imagery recorded entirely in his Brooklyn bedroom.

Developed over a two-month period of stream-of-consciousness recording in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Luke's self-titled debut under his new moniker Here We Go Magic is a remarkable departure from his signature singer-songwriter material. Luke recorded the album at home using analog synths, a cassette 4-track, and his trusty SM-57 mic, coloring the sound with warmth and creating textures you want to wrap yourself in. Highly Recommended!

Here We Go Magic - Tunnelvision
Here We Go Magic - Fangela
Here we Go Magic @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Phoenix - 1901
(from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, out on May 25th)

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The Dead Weather

2009-03-12T13:23:00.007+01:00

The Dead Weather is the new band of Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs). It consists of Allison Mosshart from The Kills on vocals, Jack Lawrence from The Raconteurs on bass, Dean Fertita from Queens of the Stone Age, and Jack White on the drums!

Their debut album “Horehound” is expected to see a release in June. Recommended!

The Dead Weather - Hang You From The Heavens
The Dead Weather - Are Friends Electric? (Gary Numan Cover)

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SONG OF THE DAY: Lady Sovereign - So Human (The Cure Cover)
(from Jigsaw, out on April 7th on Midget Records)

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The Traditionist

2009-03-11T14:34:00.004+01:00

The Traditionist is Joey Barro and whoever can make it out to play that night...

Growing up amongst a family of musicians, singer and guitarist Joey Barro immediately found a connection with the songs he heard when the sun went down and the guitars came out at family get-togethers. Van Morrison, Simon & Garfunkel and lots of Dylan could often be heard with a low hum emitting out from the walls of the Barro house. As he grew, his love of music and the classics only got stronger and his taste developed with the years. While his influences are clear, he does not set out to replicate the originals, but to acknowledge and update them.

Written as almost a chronological window into the mind of Joey Barro, The Traditionist's aptly titled debut, Season To Season, was created over a period of greater than a year with the collaboration of long time friend, touring companion, and now producer Tim Bluhm (Mother Hips). This unique approach was by no means an accident, as Barro prefers to keep his diary in the form of his songs, keeping fresh records of exactly where he is at each point in his life. Originally meant to be the next record from The Antiques, Barro's long time band, this departure that was realized through open experimentation became an entirely new project, and thus The Traditionist was born. Recommended!

The Traditionist - I Know My Ocean
The Traditionist - A Sleep Be Told
The Traditionist - Driftwood Doll
The Traditionist @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: St. Vincent - The Strangers
(from Actor, out on May 5th on 4AD)

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Passion Pit

2009-03-09T15:58:00.002+01:00

Boston’s Passion Pit is the brainchild of Michael Angelakos with live band consisting of ian hultquist(synths), ayad al adhamy(synths, samplers), jeff apruzzese(bass, synths), nate donmoyer (drums). Michael is a songwriter’s songwriter drawing from a variety of influences, from the classic pop of Randy Newman to the synth work of Giorgio Moroder.

The Chunk of Change EP was originally put together as a (belated) Valentine’s Day present to Angelakos’ girlfriend which then prompted him to give it out to friends and fellow students at Emerson College. Angelakos wrote and recorded the entire record by himself and it only hints at what is to come from this extremely talented perfectionist. The production of the recording - brief, sporadic, and explosive - worked towards the development of Angelakos’ signature euphoric and blissfully melancholic sound. Frenchkiss Records will reissue the ep this fall with the addition of two bonus tracks “Better Things” and “Sleepyhead” that are already catching the online world on fire. All of this is in preparation for Passion Pit’s debut full length coming out in early 2009.

Playing as a five piece live, Passion Pit has already blown away audiences opening up for Death Cab For Cutie, Girl Talk, These New Puritans and more. Also winning the WFNX/Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll as the Best New Local Act of 2008, Passion Pit hopes to bring their soulful dance explosion to your town this summer.

Passion Pit have begun the slow climb from blog curio to possible magazine cover boys, and the next step in that evolution is a debut LP, which the band has announced will be called Manners. Manners is due out in the U.K. via Columbia on May 18, and in the U.S. via Frenchkiss on May 26. Highly Recommended!

Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
Passion Pit @ MySpace

Passion Pit - Sleepyhead

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SONG OF THE DAY: Damien Jurado - Gillian Was A Horse
(from Caught In The Trees, released on Secretly Canadian, Sep. 2008)

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North Elementary

2009-02-24T16:59:00.003+01:00

The Chapel Hill quartet of North Elementary play, in the tradition established by their hometown at the end of the 20th century, eclectic alternative/indie pop/rock. John Harrison, formerly of the Comas, wrote most of the songs on their 2002 debut CD Out of Phase. The band also includes another ex-Coma, Margaret White, who was also in Sparklehorse when the album was released.

As 2006 melted into '07, North Elementary and producer Alan Weatherhead (Hotel Lights, Sparklehorse) were busy patching together a record weekend-by-weekend at Weatherhead's Richmond, Va. studio. The result, Not For Everyone, Just For You, is the Chapel Hill, N.C.-based North Elementary's most complete artifact yet. And for two years, it collected dust. The band recorded and released a whole separate album, 2007's Berandals (Pox World Empire) after finishing NFEJFY. False starts and missed connections plagued the record, putting the release date farther and farther into a nebulous "eventually." Eventually is now. Check It Out!

North Elementary - Decade Stylin'
North Elementary - Golden Tigers
North Elementary @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Throw Me The Statue - Ship
(from Purpleface EP, out Febraury 2009 on Secretly Canadian)

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Free album release... Death Heart Bloom

2009-02-17T16:23:00.003+01:00

Dead Heart Bloom began in 2005 after the breakup of Washington, DC band Phaser as a one-man-band: Boris Skalsky, Phaser's bassist, singer, and keyboardist, wrote and recorded the Dead Heart Bloom self-titled debut, releasing it in 2006. The debut was followed with a second album, Chelsea Diaries, released in 2007 - an acoustic follow-up to the debut. Chelsea Diaries was recorded at Dead Heart Bloom's Brooklyn studio.

In 2007, Boris began writing and recording with guitarist Paul Wood, also formerly of Phaser. The two wrote throughout that year and in the summer of 2008 began releasing what would become a 3 EP series, each EP embracing differing musical styles. The first, Fall In, was described by Rollingstone as “a sublime combination of dour, druggy vocals and corkscrewing guitars”. The second, Oh Mercy, was called “an unusual blend of intentionally unsettling bluesy yet aggressive rock" by CMJ. Now Dead Heart Bloom returns with In Chains, continuing the stylistic experimentation of the series but exploring a softer dimension, ending the series on a sigh of resignation.

What began as a cast-of-one, with revolving musicians, now includes Paul Wood, bassist Nathan Goheen, and drummer John Hadfield. A number of guest musicians perform on Dead Heart Bloom recordings and join the band for the live show.

All Dead Heart Bloom music is available for free download and is self-released through their own KEI Records. Recommended!

Death Heart Bloom - Free Albums
Death Heart Bloom @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Televangelist & The Architect - ...By The Pond
(from There's A Song In There Somewhere, out on February 26th on Undetected Plagiarism)

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Eleni Mandell

2009-02-12T14:09:00.003+01:00

Eleni Mandell is a supremely talented and critically acclaimed songwriter with a singular gift for writing wry, literate songs that synthesize jazz, country, folk, blues, rock and pop. Artificial Fire builds on her 2007 breakthrough, Miracle of Five, adding a more direct, full-band sound to Mandell’s sharp-edged tales of romance, lust and love.

Miracle Of Five ended up on a slew of critics “Best of 2007” lists, including Paste, Harp, ABC News and the Los Angeles Times. LA CityBeat described Mandell’s music as “a kind of pop-out-of-time, often dark yet somehow comforting, and as unforgettable as a warm winter day.” In an “A-” review of ‘Miracle Of Five,’ Entertainment Weekly said Mandell’s lyrics explore “the elusive promise of romance with wry wit and moony wistfulness.” The New Yorker says "Mandell was weaned on artists like Tom Waits and X, and her dark and sexy songs have been compared to those of everyone from Chan Marshall to Patsy Cline. She has a sometimes smoky, sometimes wistful delivery, and, more often than not, her songs take on love from some new perspective."

Based in Los Angeles, Mandell is a leading light in the city’s Silver Lake music scene, and is part of The Living Sisters, a local “supergroup” also featuring Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond) and Inara George (The Bird and the Bee). All the songs on Artificial Fire were written by Mandell, and arranged, recorded and produced with her longtime band (Drake on guitar, Ryan Feves on bass and Kevin Fitzgerald on drums.), allowing the group’s cohesiveness and musical acumen to shape the tracks while Mandell’s articulate lyrics hold centerstage. Guests include DJ Bonebrake (X, The Knitters), fellow Living Sister Inara George, and Silver Lake music scene regulars Jason Borger, Danny T. Levin and Charlie Wadhams. The album was produced by Mandell, Drake, Feves, Fitzgerald and Dave Trumfio. Recommended!

Eleni Mandell - The Artificial Fire
Eleni Mandell - The Artificial Fire (video strem)
Eleni Mandell @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Thermals - Now We Can See
(from Now We Can See, out on April 7th on Kill Rock Stars)

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Lohio

2009-02-05T14:39:00.002+01:00

Finding themselves laid-off from their jobs within weeks of each other, Lohio leader Greg Dutton and guitarist/songwriter Josh Verbanets decided to fill their days of unemployment constructing a recording studio. They spent weeks in Dutton’s garage; building out the space in which the bulk of the band’s latest album, History, the Destroyer would later be recorded. Musically, the album shows no signs of that winter’s manual labor. It’s all effortless sixties pop, with hints of country and 90’s Brit Pop tied in. Since its recent release, History, the Destroyer has been named as one of the year’s best efforts by people such as the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and 91.3fm WYEP.

Lohio is based in Pittsburgh, PA. Since their formation in 2006, the band has garnered national airplay on stations such as KCRW and KUSF, found placement on MTV, and shared the stage with a range of acts including David Bazan, The Avett Brothers, American Music Club, Tokyo Police Club, Ricki Lee Jones, Jennifer O'Connor and Ra Ra Riot. Both of their recorded efforts have been well received, earning year end credits from various local and national media sources. Recommended!

Lohio - Modern Days
Lohio - You've Got A Lot Of Nerve
Lohio - Owen!
Lohio @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: The Cramps - Goo Goo Muck

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The Bitter Tears

2009-02-03T15:33:00.002+01:00

That was The Bitter Tears’ first review: Halfway through their first show, a member of the audience approached them between songs, uttered the above gratitude and turned and walked out. The Bitter Tears songs are obtuse and catchy. Their stage show is uncomfortably fun. If you don’t want songs crashing around like curious slobs in your head, The Bitter Tears could ruin your night.

Crafting an assault of absurd lyrical undertones, The Bitter Tears started as a country and western band but broadened out into other genres, blending different kinds of pop (country, folk, rock, brass band) while flying by the seat of their pants with whatever direction a song happened to be moving.

Taken hold by Alan Scalpone (vocals, guitar, brass, woodwinds), Michael McGinley (vocals, bass, brass, strings), Bill Borton (drums), John Leonard (piano) and Greg Norman (vocals, guitar, trombone), The Bitter Tears will release their second album, Jam Tarts in the Jakehouse, through Carrot Top Records on March 3, 2009. Recommended!

The Bitter Tears - Slay The Heart Of The Earth
The Bitter Tears @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY:
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - Old Panda Days
(from Advance Base Battery Life, out on on Tomlab, March 10, 2009)

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Kenneth Pattengale

2009-01-27T15:06:00.004+01:00

Kenneth Pattengale works outside-or at least on the fringes-of what the music industry might traditionally call its own. Over the last eight years, Pattengale has taken inspiration from the career paths of artists like Randy Newman, Elvis Costello and personal hero Joe Henry by exploring what it means to wear the differing hats of film composer, record producer and performing songwriter. The music called into question is hard to classify. It runs the gamut from swamp music to rhythm & blues, lullaby to country & western, folk song to piano ballad and beyond. The songs take direction from the stories they tell, not necessarily held together by a clear musical style but by the authenticity with which the stories are told. Along with the artists that Pattengale looks towards for career inspiration, he hopes to follow Tom Waits, Gillian Welch, Chris Smither and Loudon Wainwright in their ability to conjure a unique American voice by transforming emotional experience into narrative.

Beginning with Downtown LA in 2001, Pattengale has independently released five full-length albums of original material. He has just finished recording a new collection of material entitled Storied Places, the first to see a departure from Pattengale's own label Four Six Productions. The record is to be released on January 27, 2009 by Milan Records (Ryko/WEA distributed). Recommended!

Kenneth Pattengale - Memoirs Of An Owned Dog
Kenneth Pattengale @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY:
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - 1999
(from #4 EP, out on February 4th on Labrador)

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Jenn Grant

2009-01-22T11:40:00.003+01:00

From her debut record, Orchestra for the Moon, Jenn Grant's name has surfaced in four star reviews from Harp and The Globe and Mail, earned her several East Coast Music Awards nominations, and landed her on tours with the Great Lake Swimmers, Hayden, Justin Rutledge, Martin Tielli, Danny Michel, and The Weakerthans.

There are traces of Orchestra for the Moon in her latest offering, elements that helped shape Jenn's sound into what it has become. Producer/pianist Jonathan Goldsmith (Bruce Cockburn) leads a heart-on-sleeve band through Echoes: Kinley Dowling on violin, David Christensen on bass clarinet, Sean MacGillivray on bass, Gary Craig on drums/percussion, and Jenn herself on guitar. These are all sincere songs captured in the moment, on tape. Echoes was recorded and mixed with a fully analogue process at Puck’s Farm.

Without the songs being old or feeling old, Echoes' analog heart reflects the art and the heart of Jenn herself, inciting a familiarity that connects the listener with the roots of music. Recommended!

Jenn Grant - Heartbreaker
Jenn Grant - Blue Mountains
Jenn Grant @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Asobi Seksu - Familiar Light
(from Hush, out on Feb 17th On Polyvinyl Records)

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Free album release... The Dogs

2009-01-20T15:36:00.003+01:00

“Stirrin’ up trouble like a mixing bowl.” Taken from their breakout “hit”, Dandy Lion Wine, these lyrics have begun to define The Dogs. This folk-rock outfit from Chicago, Illinois has played their fair share of clubs including Elbo Room, Lilly’s Bar, and Cal’s Bar, but they’ve become most known for their unannounced performances in outdoor parks that occasionally have resulted in their forced removal by local authorities.

After spending the summer gigging around the Midwest and self-recording, The Dogs just released their new and highly anticipated self-titled debut album. Though they got their start recording Phil-Ochs styled folk tunes into a four-track, their most recent endeavors draw heavily on the sounds of the Fleet Foxes, Espers, The Dodos, and Neil Young.

Although the band can boast upwards of 15 members on stage at a time, the group’s core consists of three members, James, Peter and Matt. With the release of their new album, The Dogs are sure to be rising stars on the indie rock scene. Check It Out!

The Dogs - The Dogs (album)
The Dogs @ MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Julie Doiron - Consolation Prize
(from I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day, out on March 10th by Jagjaguwar)

Check Comments for Bonus!