Here is a collection of tracks that have found their way into our in-box or on to our iTunes one way or another recently, and which deserve far more time and effort spent on them than we are currently able to give. Plenty to soundtrack your Friday with. Brooklyn's indie pop three-piece Violens have just released their second LP, True , on Slumberland Records. The album's first single, Totally True , has a dreamy stone-washed feel, celebrating bands like Cocteau Twins and The Chameleons . a [...]
This strikes me as something of a stop-gap release, and that's normally not something I cover on Song, by Toad, but because Pillars and Tongues are fucking brilliant, I thought I might make an exception. The video above is of a remix of a song which appears on their absolutely gorgeous album The Pass and Crossings (hint, buy it - not later, right now, I promise you'll thank me). There is a slight tish-tish of drums, and some subtle layers of dreamy sound in the background [...]
Pillars & Tongues | Photo by Emily Cross Three reasons to grab your flameless candles and head over to the Burlington tonight... 1. Spice up your Wednesday with a little something different. Chicago quartet Pillars and Tongues make the unusual beautiful, honing its gothic folk sound by pairing hypnotic atmospherics and melodies with rhythmic, liberal use of a harmonium. Pillars and Tongues must be seen to be believed. And as luck would have it, the band has stated on its Facebook page that this will be the [...]
Summer Girlfriends Another day, another box of stolen pens. Like Bill Murray, we all survived Groundhog's Day, so let's get out on the town and live it up. We're talking great shows at The Burlington, Cole's and Panchos (or Township, if you like). Looks like at least six more weeks of rock to me. FRIDAY SUMMER GIRLFRIENDS Get some upbeat, jangly garage pop in [...]
11.David Thomas Broughton - Ain't Got No Sole The first song we heard from DTB's fantastic album, and perhaps the poppiest of the lot. Catchy, unusual and immensely hummable. 12.Kurt Vile - Baby's Arms Another album from which it is tricky to extricate just one song as a highlight, but for some reason I'm giving this the nod above Jesus Fever or Puppet to the Man . I think it's the most late night and glass of red winey song on the album, but it's close. 13.The [...]
So, ta-daaah, here we go, what all right-thinking people have been enjoying most this year. And if you haven't been enjoying these most this year, then dammit, what do you do when I tell you what opinions to have about music, ignore me? Surely such a thing is inconceivable. As those of you who listened to last week's podcast, where I played two songs from the more forgotten albums on my first ever Albums of the Year list (2004), I am actually more fascinated by these lists in retrospect than at the time. Looking [...]
The weekend is finally here. Wrap yourself in hefty layers and go out and enjoy this city's fine offerings! We're talking about Bad Bad Meow at Cole's, Carbon Tigers at Subterranean, and Pillars and Tongues' free in-store at SAKI. Let's get cookin'... FRIDAY BAD BAD MEOW Chicago quartet will unleash their country punk stylings on yet another unsuspecting rock audience at Cole's tonight. The group summon the lyrical prowess [...]
PREMIERE: Pillars and Tongues - Thank You, Oaky The chilling and chanting goth folk from these once-Chicagoan-current-nomads is like an incantation at a wake. At one time both dark and mystic, but also somehow holy and celebratory. Dress in white, dance. Feel the wind. Throw yr hands in the air. Meditate. Directed by Nathan Vollmar of 19th State Productions . Get The Pass and Crossing LP from Endless Nest Records .
Thin Hymns Experimental pop outfit Thin Hymns have returned this fall with its first full-band EP Logic & Theory . Thin Hymns mastermind Michael Hilger recruited friends Justin Fernandez of Distractions (bass) Roommate's Seth Vanek (drums), and Pillars and Tongue's Ben Babbit (synthesizers) to create an atmospheric folk pop record that is as gentle as it is twinkling with darkness. The self-titled track is reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme's side project Desert Sessions in that Thin Hymns utilizes similar unconventional tones [...]
Happy Halloween, folks! And a good Jesusween to all you lil angels. We've got a packed weekend again with JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound combining forces with White Mystery tonight at the Double Door and Mannequin Men making plans to tear it up at the Empty Bottle tomorrow night. Let's not waste anymore time. Allons-y! FRIDAY JC BROOKS & THE UPTOWN SOUND [...]
High Places Summer is wrapping up, but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop. No, sir (or madam). It's the weekend and it is time to rock out with our respective pieces out. We're highlighting some truly excellent shows including the tenth anniversary Ladyfest Midwest concert at the Empty Bottle and much more! Without further ado, let's get at it... FRIDAY [...]
"Having spent years developing a uniquely textured sound, Pillars and Tongues have now given teeth their creation, and the doom is manifest. Like French experimental chanteuse Catherine Ribeiro's early '70s collaborations with Alpes, Pillars and Tongues brings passion, cohesion, and lyricism to the avant-garde. This is immediately apparent in the lyrical depths of the album opener, "A Dance in the Billowing Absence" , a song seemingly conjured by seduction from some very dark places. Beth Remis' lush violin lines swell and sing over plodding, taiko-like drums, moving at [...]
ARTIST: The SWAG Report 63 with freebie mp3 downloads for songs by Sundress, The Irrepressables, The Young Things, DATE: 06-30-11 WRITER: Don Loder Arightcha bum-rushin', no account junkies, Yeahyeahyeah, I know I'm late gettin' you yer fix, but I was laid up. Some junkie jumped me inna alley down on Avenue B witta knife an' laid me up fer a coupla days. Mangy bastid won' be doin' 'at [view more]
Pillars & Tongues | Photo by Emily Cross I am slowly becoming a sucker for harmoniums. Seriously. Hypnotic folk pop quartet Pillars and Tongues have made this droning instrument the centerpiece of a number of their songs and with good reason. "Thank You Oaky" is methodically slow and relies heavily on atmosphere. Lead singer Mark Trecka's low vocals interwine nicely those of violinist Beth Remis. The dueling chanting vocals follow a steady, almost madness-inducing rhythm as Trecka fills the space between with the church organ-like sounds of the harmonium. Remis [...]
Every day, Daily Downloads offers 10 free and legal mp3 downloads, plus free and legal live sets from around the internet. Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: Bad Passion : "Rockin' Your Beats" [mp3] search for more Bad Passion posts at Largehearted Boy Cut Off Your Hands : free and legal Happy as Can Be EP [mp3] [...]
![This Week in the Big D [Dallas Concerts - June 27-July 3, 2011]](http://cdn.elbo.ws/posts/3551128_lg.jpg)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011: - RX Bandits, Maps & Atlases at Granada Theater, $20-$24 - ( Tickets | More Info ) * Wednesday, June 29, 2011: - Titus Andronicus, Cocky Americans at Sons of Hermann Hall, $10a/$12d - ( Tickets | More Info ) * Thursday, June 30, 2011: - Chris Holt, The O's at Sammons Park, Free ( More Info ) Saturday, July 2, 2011: - [...]
While I may use comparisons between bands a lot when writing about music, I tend to avoid the 'if you like fish, you must like chocolate' approach to music reviewing, but I am going to break that habit now. I reckon that if you like eagleowl (and you're a fool if you don't) then you are going to love this. In part, that's quite a superficial, stylistic comparison based on drones and atmosphere and the deep rumble of bowed strings, harmonium and vocal harmonies to underpin the music. Certainly eagleowl are a more playful [...]
Every weekday, MUF offers a daily MP3 download consisting of either five (5) free MP3 downloads or legal MP3 downloads. We chose these MP3s for you to discover, download and explore more about the artists behind them. 'Daily Downloads' via Twitter , Facebook or RSS ! (For more information on what our Daily Download is and what they mean to you go here ) Today's Totally Free MP3 Downloads: Madonna - Get Together (Monsieur Adi Remix) [ [...]
Every weekday, MUF offers a daily MP3 download consisting of either five (5) free MP3 downloads or legal MP3 downloads. We chose these MP3s for you to discover, download and explore more about the artists behind them. 'Daily Downloads' via Twitter , Facebook or RSS ! (For more information on what our Daily Download is and what they mean to you go here ) Today's Totally Free MP3 Downloads: Madonna - Get Together (Monsieur Adi Remix) [ [...]
Pillars and Tongues - The Making Graceful Without a reliance on electronic drones and over saturated vocals Chicago's Pillars and Tongues seem to have a much more organic sound to it. While their overall sound is dark in nature I find it to be rather seductive as if you've stumbled upon a few friends in the basement of a 400 year old cathedral. Their album comes out June 28th on Empty Cellar. I will be picking it up. It should also be known their playing the 2640 Space in Baltimore tonight with [...]
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Video: Chromatics – “These Streets Will Never Look the Same”
