I’ll call this the Late Autumn Mix…

The Bravery – Spectator
Golden Shoulders – Mountain
El Perro Del Mar – Change of Heart
The Swimmers – Shelter

Note: I’ll most likely follow up with more info on a few of these artists.
P.S. – Let me know if you dig random lists of mp3s.

Grizzly Bear has a new video for Ready, Able from their latest album Veckatimest. The video is set in a stop-motion with claymation creatures, directed by Allison Schulnik. It’s always interesting when directors mix types of animation together, and Allison does it well!

YouTube - Grizzly Bear – Ready, Able

If you’ve seen the independent film Once, you’re probably familiar with The Swell Season. In case you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and find a friend who has a copy. In the film the main characters rent out a studio in Dublin and record an album. But what made Once so unique is that Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová were actually playing the instruments in the film,  and performing as The Swell Season in real life.

The Swell Season released their third album, Strict Joy, last week on October 27. This is their first album as The Swell Season since their success with Once and the movie’s soundtrack. They’re currently on an international tour and won’t rest until the end of February, 2010.

Here is the video for Low Rising, directed by Sam Beam of Iron & Wine.

Kite in the Air – Magic Marker

You can download their debut Kite in the Air EP and Magic Marker for free. Download and pass it on:

Frank Schweikhardt is one of the many Bloomington artists I’m excited about. His debut full-length, Life But No More, is coming out on November 17th on Bloomington’s Crossroads of America Records, and it’s one of those albums that you feel intimately attached to after a few listens. Frank recorded the album with several seasoned Bloomington artists: Mike Adams (husband&wife), Tim Felton (husband&wife), and Zac Canale (Morrow). You’ll find him on sporadic tours when he isn’t driving the tour bus for other bands.

Starting out in the regional bands Away With Vega, then playing with Rodeo Ruby Love, Frank immediately has the attention of listeners in the Midwest. He initially released a solo album under the name orangeyellored in 2007, but began performing under his own name in 2008 with the release of Gift EP.

His music is acoustic-driven and downbeat with sleepy vocals. “Give me life, but no more,” he asks in Softer. With religious undertones in a few of the songs yet always within view of intimacy with others, Frank writes very reflective lyrics. “I did my work, but not a finger more,” he admits.

A favorite song of ours is Twin Cities. It happens to be the most upbeat song on the album, though that isn’t to discredit the slower songs by any means. “I didn’t see the goodness that she had,” he sings, then echoing the lyrical pattern, “She didn’t want the goodness that I had.” The organ is brooding, with guitar slides in the background that help develop the mood of the song.

I think you’ll enjoy Frank’s Life But No More if you love David Bazan’s quieter music. It will be available on vinyl, CD, and in digital format on November 17th.

Frank Schweikhardt on: Myspace, Facebook

Frank Schweikhardt – Twin Cities