Pop Headwound

Wilco @ Keyspan Park, Coney Island, 7-13-09

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:39:00 +0000

(photo not from Keyspan)

As I’ve done the past two years after seeing Wilco live, here’s a bunch of the (many) highlights of Monday night’s amazing show at Keyspan Park in Coney Island. In list form no less.

1. Yo La Tengo opened and ran through about an hour’s worth of material, much of it I enjoyed without being very familiar with. I was catching up with some old friends (re: annoying the people around me who were paying close attention) for much of their set, but am pretty sure I heard “Autumn Sweater” from I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One and “From A Motel 6” from Painful. They also played “Periodically Double Or Triple” from their upcoming album Popular Songs. It was a raucous, feedback-heavy set that was well-received by the crowd.

2. Wilco held absolutely nothing back on Monday night - after opening with a crowd-warming “Wilco, The Song” they played classic after classic with a few new songs thrown in there. There’s a reason why war horses like “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart”, “A Shot In The Arm”, and “Handshake Drugs” are played almost every night - they fucking rock.

3. There was a nice balance of songs from Wilco‘s entire career, save A.M. Being There could have gotten some more love (just “Misunderstood”), but who cares with a mid-set “I’m Always In Love” and “Can’t Stand It”.

4. The new songs sounded really good and fit into the set nicely. I think they played the first 6 songs from The Album plus “Sunny Feeling”. “Bull Black Nova” was snuggled in between the war horses early in the set and fit right in, and I thought the intricate “Deeper Down” came across really well despite being quite a bit mellower than much of the rest of the songs played.

5. The set was light on Sky Blue Sky songs. No “Side With The Seeds”, which was appreciated by yours truly. Only “Impossible Germany” (with another incredible guitar solo from Nels Cline), “You Are My Face” (nice), and obligatory versions of “Hate It Here” (eh) and “Walken”.

6. I was really surprised that Jeff didn’t do more to acknowledge the real Mermaid Avenue being, like, literally right across the street from Keyspan Park. Before a set closing “Hoodoo Voodoo” (with dueling guitars from Nels and Pat!) he mentioned the song was written “a half mile from here”, but I really thought they’d tip their collective hats to Nora Guthrie and play maybe “Airline To Heaven” or “Hesitating Beauty” or “Remember the Mountain Bed” or something. “California Stars” was in there as well, but there was no other mention of a very important part of their catalog when they were in the very place where many of those songs originated. Weird.

7. It was cool to see Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear come out to sing back up (and Wilco acknowledge a band who’s probably at the same point of their career that they were 10 years ago), but you couldn’t hear him at all, and at one point on the video monitor it looked like he didn’t even know the words to “California Stars”. It was a big surprise though, and he got a pretty good reception from a crowd full of aging hipsters many of whom probably had no idea who he was.

8. Feist came out to sing “You and I” and that was great. I know it wasn’t the first time she’s joined them on stage on this tour, but it was still a welcome surprise, she sounded great, and the crowd ate it up. See the video below.

9. Wilco + Yo La Tengo + “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” = INSANITY!!!! (See video below)

10. I may be a little hard on Wilco at times, but it’s certainly more tough love than discontent. My friends gave me some flack for that the other night, and it’s probably deserved. Wilco is my favorite band (probably of all time) and it can be frustrating at times to watch them put out albums that don’t match the creative heights of their recent past, especially knowing what they are capable in the live setting. But, by all means, see Wilco live if you have the opportunity. This line-up is capable of some sick shit on stage. Keyspan was my 8th show, and was, arguably, the best yet.

Here are some of those fan videos that have been circulating of the all-star jams of the legends of indie-rock- past, present, and future:

“You and I” (w/ Feist):

“You Never Know” (w/ Feist & Ed Droste)

Most of “Siders (Kidsmoke)” (w/ Yo La Tengo):

“Hoodoo Voodoo” (w/ dueling guitars from Nels and Pat):

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[mp3] Mission of Burma - "1,2,3 Partyy!"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:14:00 +0000

80s post-punk icons Mission of Burma are gearing up for the release of their third album (and 4th overall, plus their seminal debut EP) of new material since reuniting a few years back. The Sound The Speed The Light will be released by Matador (busy month over there) on October 6. “1,2,3, Partyy!” is another bristling rocker from this band who, along with Dinosaur Jr., are picking up like the past few decades never happened.

From Matador: “Of course, all the Burma trademarks are also present: the military snare drum, the melodic basslines high up on the neck, and the furiously experimental guitarwork, refracted and changed back into the songs via tape loops – all punctuated by the hoarse shouts of drummer Peter Prescott. This controlled chaos, this disciplined letting go, is the heart of what they do and it remains as exhilarating and fulfilling as ever.” Amen.

MP3 :: 1,2,3 Partyy!
(from The Sound The Speed The Light. Info here)
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Japandroids to re-release Post-Nothing on Polyvinyl

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:40:00 +0000

I’ve said this before, but Japandroids’ Post-Nothing is rock n’ roll at its most raw, direct, and exhilarating - easily one of my favorite records of the first half of 2009. Unfortunately, if you want to get your paws on a physical copy of it right now at this very moment, it may be next to impossible. Most retail outlets (including Insound, where I picked up my vinyl copy last month) have it listed as a pre-order. Never fear - the Vancouver duo has recently signed on with Polyvinyl and will be re-releasing the album this September. Until then….

MP3 :: Young Hearts Spark Fire
(from Post-Nothing. Info here)
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Bowerbirds - Upper Air

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Bowerbirds’ gorgeous new album Upper Air is filled with pastoral folk songs that focus on love, nature, and the way the two intersect with one another. It seems lead-birds Phil Moore and Beth Tacular have a deep connection with Mother Earth and all of the beautiful things that make it, like, totally the best planet in the solar system. This connection is used as an extended metaphor that inhabits the album’s 10 songs, giving Upper Air a thematic unity to complement the simple, organic arrangements and delicate melodies of the tunes. I’ve already written about “Northern Lights” and “Beneath Your Tree” - the former is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard this year, and the latter is another highlight that features lots of fine accordian work and Moore and Tacular trading lead vocal duties. The rest of the album is equally as rustic and beautiful - truly a set of songs made of and for the great outdoors. I’d recommend Upper Air to any fan of folk music, but fans of Harvest-era Neil Young especially should check this out.

MP3 :: Northern Lights
MP3 :: Beneath Your Tree
(from Upper Air. Buy here)
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[mp3] Times New Viking - "No Time, No Hope"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:58:00 +0000

Along with this kickin’ new tune from Times New Viking came a very tongue-in-cheek press release - “Times New Viking delivered the master recordings to their forthcoming LP/CD/digital album ‘Born Again Revisited’ (OLE 860) on a Video Home System cassette. Addressing the mountain of constructive criticism they’ve received from self-styled musicologists wanna-be producers and persons with my initials, the Columbus based trio promise their 2nd Matador album (and 4th overall) features “25% higher fidelity”, a percentage our own engineering staff has confirmed after hours of exhaustive laboratory tests.”

Though full of the fuzzy abrasion that the band is arguably best known for, “No Time No Hope” yet again displays why TNV have been at the fore of the lo/no/crap-fi movement of the past few years - underneath all the hissing, the screeching, the high-end treble, and the apparent tape glitches is a song filled with absolutely killer hooks and a melody that will stay on repeat in your buzzing skull. Just go on over to their myspace and listen to “My Head” for further proof. Matador releases Born Again Revisited on September 22.

MP3 :: No Time No Hope
(from Born Again Revisited. Info here)
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[mp3] Magnolia Electric Co. - "Little Sad Eyes"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:29:00 +0000

“Little Sad Eyes” is the latest song to be released from the upcoming Magnolia Electric Co. album Josephine, which drops July 21 from Secretly Canadian. It’s a bluesy, organ-led tune that furthers the album’s theme of loneliness and loss in the wake bassist Evan Farrell’s death in late 2007. Pre-orders come with a free digital download of the recent 7” It’s Made Me Cry.

MP3 :: Little Sad Eyes
(from Josephine. Pre-order here)
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[mp3] Hallelujah the Hills - "Blank Passports"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:23:00 +0000

Hallelujah the Hills had a self-titled song (but didn’t include “The Song” in the title, oddly) a few years back that I really enjoyed. The band is gearing up for the release of their next album - Colonial Drones - due from Misra on September 22. Check out the first single, “Blank Passports”, which has me thinking of those one or two times per album when Spiral Stairs led Pavement.

MP3 :: Blank Passports
(from Colonial Drones. Info here, Pre-order here)
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Califone sign to Dead Oceans, prep new album

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Pitchfork is reporting today that the perennially underrated Califone will be bringing their unique blend of folk, roots, and experimental music to the Dead Oceans label for the follow up to 2006’s excellent Roots & Crowns. The new one is to be called All My Friends Are Funeral Singers and drops October 6. Hopefully with a new label the band will get a little more (much deserved) exposure.

Here’s a sampling from throughout their career:

MP3 :: Spider’s House
MP3 :: The Orchids
Video :: Spider’s House
Video :: A Chinese Actor
(from Roots & Crowns. Buy here)

MP3 :: Wingbone
(from Heron King Blues. Buy here)

MP3 :: One
MP3 :: Horoscopic. Amputation. Honey
(from Quicksand: Cradlesnakes. Buy here)

MP3 :: Pastry Sharp
MP3 :: Electric Fence
(from Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People. Buy here)

MP3 :: Trout Silk
(from Roomsound. Buy here)
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[mp3] Riceboy Sleeps - "Boy 1904"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:56:00 +0000

Just a few short weeks after some exclusive live material comes the latest offering from the Sigur Ros camp. Riceboy Sleeps is the name of the side project of Sigur Ros lead singer Jonsi Birgisson and his boyfriend Alex Somers. You may recall their contribution to the Dark Was The Night compilation earlier this year. The pair are offering the calming, ethereal ambiance of “Boy 1904” as a free download (just give the email address) from their album coming out July 21 from XL.

MP3 :: Boy 1904
(from Riceboy Sleeps. Pre-order here)
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Forest Fire's Survival gets U.K. release/limited edition vinyl single

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:10:00 +0000

Forest Fire’s debut album Survival, with its fuzzy, warped brand of lo-fi folk, made a big time impression on me about a year ago. Album closer “Slow Motion” even topped my Year End Favorite Songs list (which has since been courteously deleted by Blogger). Broken Sound and the band are gearing up for the U.K. release of Survival on July 20, and to celebrate they will be releasing “Fortune Teller” & “I Make Windows” as a double A-side on hand stamped and numbered vinyl on July 6th, strictly limited to 300 pressings. Both album and single can be pre-ordered here.

MP3 :: Fortune Teller
(from Survival. Buy here)
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Dinosaur Jr. - Farm

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Whether or not the middle-aged slackers of Dinosaur Jr. performed their own stunts for the “Over It” video is debatable, but what’s not is how awesome it is to have the band back in peak form. 2007’s Beyond was a huge surprise after however many years it had been since the original DJr. lineup played together, not to mention how long it had been since Mascis had released something worthwhile. The 60-minute Farm goes a long way to prove the band’s second coming was no fluke. Mascis’ vocals are as drowsy, his guitar as wicked (you‘ll lose count of the solos by track 4), and the band as tight as ever - and the songs themselves are top notch throughout. People tend to lean towards the classic early run of albums (You’re Living All Over Me & Bug specifically) when talking about the band at their best, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Where You Been, and Farm gloriously recaptures a lot of that album’s huge rock sound. Farm is not their most diverse album (there are a lot of 4-6 minute mid-tempo crunchers), but it sure is a rip hearing these guys rock like the past 20 years never happened.

MP3 :: I Want You To Know
(from Farm. Buy here)
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Spoon release new single - "Got Nuffin"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:48:00 +0000

By now you’ve no doubt heard that Spoon tried to pull one over on the internet (nice try, but seriously) and sneak a little 3-song EP unto the world with no one knowing until release day. Well, they almost succeeded. News of Got Nuffin started spreading late last week, but what I haven’t seen mentioned anywhere was this little tidbid over at the Merge site: “Spoon will return to its birthplace to commandeer Austin’s Stubbs Amphitheater July 9, 10 and 11 for SPOONX3, which will feature the live debut of new material from the band’s forthcoming album”. Um, shit yeah. I kinda liked Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. No word yet on a release date or track list, but you can be sure when there is you can read about it here a few days after you've read about it in other places.

Got Nuffin is more of a single than an EP, but whatever. The b-sides are “Tweakers”, a noisy, rhythmic (and rather pointless) instrumental, and a jagged rocker called “Stroke Their Brains”. The highlight though is definitely the title track. “Got Nuffin” is Spoon getting back to basics with a tense, razor sharp rock song like the days of old (sounds a bit like “Jonathon Fisk”, but not too much). Listen:

Stream :: Got Nuffin
(from Got Nuffin. Buy here)
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[video] Dirty Projectors - "Stillness Is The Move"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:46:00 +0000

Llamas are so hot right now. “Stillness Is The Move” is too. Dave Longstreth just enjoys the Vermont view as he lets the ladies carry this one. From Dirty Projectors new record Bitte Orca, which is an absolute must hear in a year full of them.
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[mp3] Free Energy - "Dream City"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:22:00 +0000

More often than not, the chorus is the part of the great pop song with the huge payoff - the moment you wait for to shout along with. Not so with Free Energy’s “Dream City”, the first single from their forthcoming DFA debut, Stuck On Nuthin'. These throwback Philly rockers don‘t waste time with shit like that. The best part of “Dream City” are the verses, which strut their stuff with full-on 1976 Thin Lizzy-like riffs blaring all around them. It’s all carefree, teenage summer nights, with nothing’ much to do but dream’ about the future with your cars and your friends and your nah-nah-nah’s.

MP3 :: Dream City
(from Stuck On Nuthin’. Info here)
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PHW's June Mixtape

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:18:00 +0000

Here’s a mix of some of the songs and artists I listened to a lot this month. The songs come from a diverse batch of artists, including returning indie-heroes from the 90’s Polvo and Spiral Stairs, the multi-talented Mos Def, the gritty indie & folk-rock of Handsome Furs and Roadside Graves, and 3 of today’s finest singer-songwriters in A.A. Bondy, J. Tillman, and Simon Joyner. Be sure to also check out upstart Zach Vinson’s soaring “Christee Christee”, one of the catchiest indie-pop tunes I’ve heard this year, and the brand spankin’ new blissfully fuzzed-out garage rock of Real Estate and Smith Westerns. Good stuff.

MP3 :: Radio Kaliningrad - Handsome Furs (original post)
MP3 :: Roll On - Simon Joyner (original post)
MP3 :: Far And Wide - Roadside Graves (original post)
MP3 :: Christee Christee - Zach Vinson (original post)
MP3 :: Maltese Terrier - Spiral Stairs (original post)
MP3 :: Beggars Bowl - Polvo
Link :: Quiet Dog - Mos Def (original post)
Link :: Life In Marvelous Times - Mos Def
MP3 :: Be My Girl - Smith Westerns
MP3 :: Green River - Real Estate
MP3 :: Earthly Bodies - J. Tillman (original post)
MP3 :: When The Devil’s Loose - A.A. Bondy (original post)
MP3 :: Beach House - The Cave Singers (original post)
MP3 :: Ruby - Roadside Graves
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Lots more where this came from:

January
February
March
April
May
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Wilco (the Album)

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:44:00 +0000

Ladders are sometimes easy symbols for the arc of a band’s career, but for Wilco the metaphor fits like a glove. From the underdog country-rock of A.M. through the ambitious, myth-building Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco (and their ever-evolving line-up) was clearly a band on the way up. Being There and Summerteeth, the albums in between those two, found the band confounding the expectations of both critics and their sometimes overly pos(ob)sessive alt. country fan base. Each of those early albums only hinted though at the heights that would be reached on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the career highlight perched at the top of that proverbial ladder. YHF is the band’s infallible manifesto - a stunning mix of Jeff Tweedy’s avant-garde folk songs with abrasive studio experimentation that works as both a forward-thinking artistic statement and an audacious rock and roll record.

Since then Wilco has gradually come back down to Earth. The weary, drug-addled A Ghost Is Born didn’t show signs of a fading muse on Tweedy’s part, but the many questionable production and arrangement choices detracted from an otherwise strong set of songs. All signs suggested that Wilco was poised to return to top form after Tweedy cleaned himself up and recruited the gifted Nels Cline and Pat Sansone into the band. But those expecting another brave new world had to settle for Sky Blue Sky’s familiar folk rock leanings. Though the album attempted to combine the straightforward song craft of their early days with the accomplished musicianship of their best line-up, it sounded more like a big step backwards. After pushing boundaries and carefully avoiding tags for most of their career, Wilco had released an album that often came within inches of being pegged as “soft rock”.

Which brings us to now. Though a marginally better record (thereby dismissing the ladder metaphor, dang it), Wilco (the Album) picks up pretty much where Sky Blue Sky left off. It’s the first album since A.M. that sounds like what a Wilco-novice might expect a Wilco album to sound like. The songwriting largely continues the last album’s polite, conventional folk-rock style to occasionally satisfying ends. Repeat listens fail to reveal much in the way of hidden layers - this is an upfront, pleasant set of songs that can, for the most part, be absorbed and digested in one listen. Once a band that did not fear deconstructing their more direct songs to find other exciting arrangements, Wilco songs now employ a safe, predictable professionalism. At times, as on “Wilco (the Song)” and “You Never Know”, this works perfectly, but the album’s back half drags as a few songs fail to fully distinguish themselves.

Beyond that though, the first thing you’ll notice about Wilco (the Album) is the top notch production values. Credit Jim Scott for that. A veteran producer the band hooked up with late last year while in Australia, Scott had a hand in mixing several of Wilco’s earlier albums. There is a vibrancy in the sound permeating these 11 songs, no doubt a result of additional studio over-dubs, that has been lacking over the past few albums. The huge open chords of “You Never Know” explode from the speakers, sounding like George Harrison or Tom Petty (or The Traveling Wilburys?), while the AAA radio-friendly “I’ll Fight” soars over a catchy acoustic guitar riff, pedal steel, and organ. And the electric guitars in both “One Wing” and “Bull Black Nova” hit with every inch of their intended gut punch. The improved sonics are a welcome change, but occasionally mask some of the album’s flaws. “Country Disappeared” has some nice piano and harmony parts, but the song could ultimately be used as a lullaby. It goes nowhere very slowly. And with its chiming guitars and heavy drums, “Sunny Feeling” has a Summerteeth-like power-pop sheen, but the cloying chorus quickly gets tiresome.

From Being There through A Ghost Is Born, Tweedy’s often non-linear lyrics were marked by personal angst, domestic violence, self doubt, and a crumbling sense of national pride. Starting with Sky Blue Sky and continuing here, Tweedy is focusing on songs filled with a sense of acceptance and the power of music (specifically their own) to bring people together. “Wilco (the Song)” may be on the slight side but is still a ton of fun. As far as self-referential rock songs go, it’s the complete opposite of those Replacements songs (“Talent Show”, “We’re Coming Out”, “Treatment Bound”, etc.) that were basically just about themselves being fuckups. Though there is the occasional dark cloud intruding on his sky blue sky, overall life seems pretty good in Tweedy’s world. “You And I” was recently ripped by Coke Machine Glow (their assessment is too harsh, but there’s plenty of truth in it), but it’s one of Tweedy’s most direct love songs, and “You Never Know” basically says that they’re going to leave the kicking and screaming to the younger bands. Album closer “Everlasting” mirrors the sentimental theme of Sky Blue Sky’s closer, “On And On And On”. In both there’s a submission to the inevitable, but a heartfelt declaration that love will withstand death and decay.

The highlight of Wilco (the Album), and the only time the band truly leaves their comfort zone, is “Bull Black Nova”. It’s a schizophrenic classic rock song that combines a heavy kraut-rock groove, piercing guitar work, and some atypical, character-driven lyrics. Like “Misunderstood”, “Via Chicago”, and “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” before it, this song will challenge listeners with a potential new direction for the band. How much you like Wilco (the Album) may depend on how much you miss the band that used to fill their albums with this kind of tension. This is a polished, mature sounding record that is full of good songs, but is also neck deep in conservatism. Personally, I can appreciate the fine song craft that is all over Wilco (the Album), but I really miss the band that so often dared me to follow them down the road less traveled.

Stream :: Wilco (the Album)
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Sigur Rós release 2 exclusive live performances

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:10:00 +0000

nýja lagið from sigur-ros.co.uk on Vimeo.

It’s been ten years since the release of Sigur Ros’ seminal breakthrough album, Agætis Byrjun. To commemorate, the Icelandic post-rockers have released two exclusive live performances from the original launch party concert at the Icelandic Opera House on the night of June 10, 1999. The spacey, beautiful “Nýja Lagið”, a song that did not make the album and soon disappeared from live performances, is performed on the above video, and “Hafssol”, originally from their debut Von, is available for download here (just supply a valid email address).
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And while we’re at it, here are two tracks from the enigmatic follow up to Agætis Byrjun, simply titled ( ):

MP3 :: Untitled 4
MP3 :: Untitled 8
(from ( ). Buy here)
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[video] The Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:25:00 +0000

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Deer Tick visit Daytrotter

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:15:00 +0000

While I’m a little disappointed with Born On Flag Day after a handful of listens, Deer Tick recently cut another fantastic Daytrotter session. Highlighted by a slowed-down version of War Elephant stand-out “Dirty Dishes” and an amped up cover of Springsteen’s “Nebraska” the set sounds great and is well worth checking out.

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[mp3] Spiral Stairs - "Maltese Terrier"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:11:00 +0000

So, the word today is that Scott Kannberg is releasing his first solo album under his Spiral Stairs moniker. You may remember him from his days as the front man of Preston School of Industry, whose Monsoon is an underrated honey of an indie-rock record from a few years back. Plus he wrote this great tune a long long time ago. The Real Feel doesn’t hit the ground until October 20, but Matador has released the bouncy “Maltese Terrier” as a sneak peak. Have a listen, and remember to support all former members of Pavement, not just Malkmus.

MP3 :: Maltese Terrier
(from The Real Feel. Info here)
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Mos Def - The Ecstatic

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:32:00 +0000

I don’t listen to a lot of rap or hip-hop, but I’m certainly not against checking something out when I read good things about a song, album, or artist. Mos Def has been on my radar for the past few years, mainly because I’ve always enjoyed his acting - either as a distrusting parole officer in The Woodsmen, as Jack Black’s video store partner in Be Kind Rewind, or as the legendary Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records. His sharp performances in these 3 very different parts got me interested in exploring his original career path - music.

The recently released The Ecstatic is his fourth solo album, and according to all I’ve read so far is his best since his debut, Black On Both Sides. The Ecstatic uses a combination of fresh samples, old-school beats (I‘m told they‘re “old school”, I really have no idea), live instruments, and Mos Def’s wise lyrics to make something that should cross genre borders and appeal to an wide audience. He recently performed “Quiet Dog” on Lettermen, which is a solid tune and a really great performance (see below), but it’s “Life In Marvelous Times” that’s really standing out to me so far. Along with “Quiet Dog”, the song is available to download through the RCRDLBL website. Check it out.

MP3 :: Life In Marvelous Times (follow link)
MP3 :: Quiet Dog (follow link)
(from The Ecstatic. Buy here)
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“Quiet Dog” on Lettermen:

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[mp3] Simon Joyner - "Roll On"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:50:00 +0000

I love the fact that, despite all the musical exploring I do, there are still very worthwhile under-the-radar artists out there waiting to be discovered.

Omaha singer-songwriter Simon Joyner has signed with Team Love and is preparing for the release of his 12th studio album, Out Into The Snow, on September 15. The album’s closing song, “Roll On”, is now available as a free download. Tonight I’m only halfway through my second listen to the album, but I’m already thinking I’m going to really enjoy sifting through Joyner‘s back catalog. Out Into The Snow is intricate, forward-thinking folk-music with the kind of deeply evocative lyricism that demands the obvious comparisons to the greats of the past.

The press release hits the nail on the head - “sounding sometimes like Doug Yule era Velvet Underground, On the Beach period Neil Young, Happy Sad era Tim Buckley, and Our Mother the Mountain period Townes Van Zandt, the album is littered with characters in transition, moving toward or away from complicated pasts and futures." Keep an eye out for this one:

MP3 :: Roll On
(from Out Into The Snow. Info here)
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[mp3] Handsome Furs - "Radio Kaliningrad"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:45:00 +0000

Despite the seemingly endless series of brilliant promo pics, I was originally a bit skeptical about Handsome Furs’ turn toward more pop-oriented song structures. But Face Control has been a real grower for me this year - slowly creeping up my favorite albums of the year list. Sub Pop has made a wise decision by releasing “Radio Kaliningrad” as the second free and legal download. The song is Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry at their very best - actually it’s the track that I think best combines the half-starved desperation and raw energy of Plague Park with the precision of Face Control. Though its restless pace makes for a somewhat unconventional album closer, it ties together many of the album’s recurring images (radios, Russia, isolation, hearts, wires) and ends the record on a (very) high note. We got the radio, blue sky, we got the radio, we never said goodbye. If you haven’t checked out Face Control yet, do yourself a favor and start here.

MP3 :: Radio Kaliningrad
(from Face Control. Buy here)
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Introducing: Zach Vinson

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:41:00 +0000

I don‘t know how old Zach Vinson is, but time is definitely on his side. The kid looks like he’s barely old enough to drink and drive, but the mature, polished song craft that’s all over his brand new self-released album Cracked Open makes me think he’s an artist with a long future in front of him. “Christee Christee” is about as sugar-sweet as songs get. It’s a bright, spirited rush of indie-pop perfection that makes me think of a turbo-charged Belle & Sebastian. The video for “So Much To Blame”, another album highlight, is below. Take a listen and get in on the ground floor:

MP3 :: Christee Christee
(from Cracked Open. Buy here)
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“So Much To Blame”

So Much to Blame (Zach Vinson) from Zach Vinson on Vimeo.

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[mp3] A.A. Bondy - "When The Devil's Loose"

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:14:00 +0000

Last week I told you about the upcoming sophomore album from A.A. Bondy called When The Devil’s Loose. Today I can share the title track with you - a lilting, narcotic full band song that sounds as timeless as anything from American Hearts. And props for using the name Delia in a song - easily 1 of the 2 best girl's names in existence. If he drops an Abigail on the record too it's automatic Album of the Year. When The Devil’s Loose arrives 9/1 from Fat Possum. People get ready.

MP3 :: When The Devil’s Loose
(from When The Devil’s Loose. Info here)
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