Recent blog posts about Sam Billen from music blog aggregator, Elbo.ws http://elbo.ws/artist/sambillen/ 2013-06-20T07:47:20+01:00 text/html 2012-12-20T17:48:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/4683210/sam-billen-releases-free-christmas-album/
If the snow outside (and the car accidents accompanying that snow) isn't enough to quite put you in a jolly, Christmas mood, Sam Billen has surprised us with a nice holiday gift: a free album of Christmas tunes to stream or download. [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]]]> text/html 2012-10-09T01:06:33+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/4553876/mp3-sam-billen-saltine/
MP3 Sam Billen has rightfully earned a solid reputation the past few years for his inventive covers of tracks by Sufjan Stevens, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Postal Service, and many others. Some artists specializing in covers struggle to write their own material, but it's certainly not an issue for Billen. His new full-length, Places ,offers ten original tracks that show Billen advancing from melancholic synth-pop to more organic soundscapes, like the build-up of trickling acoustics and gentle piano on the album's opener "Saltine". His striking vocals are at the forefront, mirrored by layers [...]]]> text/html 2012-10-01T14:54:03+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/4538577/sam-billen-releases-new-full-length-places/
Sam Billen, whose covers I've previously raved about , released an original full-length, Places , earlier this month. The Lawrence, Kansas singer/songwriter charms with emotionally compelling, electronic indie-pop. His ranging falsetto vocals may remind some of Halloween, Alaska, another Knox Road favorite . But Places is a stirring listen on its own, and deserves to be more widely-recognized. Stream the whole thing below and purchase it on Bandcamp . Download the opening track, "Saltine," free on SoundCloud .]]> text/html 2012-09-16T10:25:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/4511125/top-diy-releases-this-week-from-city-brat-sam-billen/
If you listened toVolume One andVolume Two of this week's Best New Music Release singles playlist, you not only heard amazing singles from artists ranging from The Ravonettes to David Bryne and St. Vincent, but also a few superb singles from DIY artists like Hello Echo andEthan Daniel Davidson. Yet there are even more DIY [...] Read more, get songs or stream the entire mix on Indie Rock Cafe]]> text/html 2012-05-24T14:38:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/4286304/saltine-a-delicious-new-track-from-sam-billen/
We're big fans of Sam Billen's gentle, orchestral indie-rock over here at the ol' Wayward Blog. Billen has parted ways with his old label the Record Machine ("no bad blood!" he says) and is self-releasing a new album, Places , which you can help fund by checking out his Kickstarter here . [ Read more ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]]]> text/html 2011-12-31T13:20:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/3958676/single-song-saturday-auld-lang-syne-on-community-friends/
It's not a new year's song, per se, though traditionally sung at midnight here and abroad. Rather, its message of friendship everlasting after a life well- and long-lived finds voice in, and brings hope and closure to, a multitude of celebrations throughout the English-speaking world, predominantly funerals and other ceremonies of remembrance. I posted a set of covers of Auld Lang Syne back in the waning days of 2009, too. But the Robert Burns poem and its various melodies seem particularly apt this year. For we heard its [...]]]> text/html 2011-12-15T15:25:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/3931989/sam-billen-and-a-slew-of-reviews-in-this-weeks/
In this week's Pitch : Hudnall talks with Sam Billen about Christmastime. Reviews of recent releases from Wrath and Ruin , Victor and Penny , and Man Bear . [ Read more ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]]]> text/html 2011-12-13T15:40:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/3926741/download-sam-billen-and-friends-a-light-goes-on/
Tambourine Club isn't the only act with a holiday recording available for free this year. Sam Billen has created and curated an amazingly ambitious 14-track endeavor called A Light Goes On . [ Read more ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]]]> text/html 2011-06-12T01:54:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/3511083/recovered-vol-xx-more-covers-of-and-from-sam-billen/
Our tendency towards revisiting posts gone by through the lens of new releases and projects is especially apropos this weekend, given the continued recovery efforts in our little torndao-ravaged town. While the rest of us sift through the rubble, let's sift through the archives, taking account of some new and noteworthy works from artists featured previously here on Cover Lay Down. We first featured young started-out-bluegrass band the Farewell Drifters on the release of the hook-heavy Yellow Tag Mondays , their 2010 release; back then, they [...]]]> text/html 2010-12-13T02:18:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/3040952/holiday-coverfolk-2010-vol-2-the-christmas-story-covered/
As a defining event at the heart of the Western world's most dominant religion, the Christmas story is perhaps the most sung-about narrative in history. But it's not just its religious importance which makes Christ's birth so present in the air and the airwaves. The prophecy foretold; the kings, the star, the road; Bethlehem and the manger; Mary and Joseph - as a text, the multifaceted story breaks down into a dozen moments, stretching far enough for a myriad of narrative approaches, from a multiplicity of perspectives. And whether we grow [...]]]> text/html 2010-11-28T00:41:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/3002897/holiday-coverfolk-2010-vol-1-christmas-recovered-new-and-newly-found/
Every year, I find my struggle to stave off Christmas Creep stymied by the drive to provide the meaningful and new before early-season eagerness can be replaced by weary resignation. Oh, sure, I wish it were otherwise - after all, December has so much more to offer, from Hanukkah to the very real possibility of an early snow day. But being the last blogger on the block to cover Christmas risks hitting folks when their patience for the songs of the season has already been exhausted. And dropping the best of [...]]]> text/html 2010-08-11T03:08:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2744945/hes-a-billenaire/
Sam Billen is a busy man. Between raising his baby daughter, working full time at the University of Kansas, and running his new business, BillenSounds, LLC, he somehow finds plenty of time to dedicate to his passion - making music that moves. Since joining The Record Machine last year, he's released a good amount of music: a digital EP entitled Tokyo Sessions, a full-length album called Headphones and Cellphones, a Christmas compilation (including songs by friends Half-Handed Cloud, The Paper Route, and Andrew Conner from Ghosty), a solo piano album called Death of a Saint, and his most recent project, [...]]]> text/html 2010-08-01T03:20:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2723055/delicious-delicious-covers/
You know what's tasty this time of year? Smooth, sweet and cool ice cream. I just had some - well a variation on the theme since I can't eat dairy- and it brought to mind another tasty item, cover songs. Since I'm still in too much of a food coma to finish off the post I had started earlier today I am instead sharing with you the musical equivalent of the huge serving of ice cream I just inhaled. These are the top picks from my recent covers acquisitions. So, eat up! I Love You Always [...]]]> text/html 2010-06-29T00:46:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2650877/tbe-digest-11-6282010-klaxons-local-natives-of-montreal/
Yo! Here is a bunch of stuff you might be interested in hearing/downloading/jamming to/raising an eyebrow at! Your options are basically limitless! For more jams or by any of these artists use the tags links at the bottom of the post! Klaxons - Flashover / Klaxons' massively acclaimed 2007 debut never struck a chord with me but now that I have been revisiting it I am realizing I missed out on an awesome album. This new track of theirs isn't getting me as hyped as I am [...]]]> text/html 2010-06-10T16:28:28+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2609873/sam-billen-covers/
This afternoon we have some covers for you from Sam Billen. Both tracks keep a fairly similar sound to the originals, each done in a bit more laid-back manner. You can get a few other from his covers album Removers at the link. It's a work in progress - a cover a [...]]]> text/html 2010-06-07T09:45:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2600675/picture-of-the-day/
Sam Billen - To Kingdom Come (Passion Pit Cover)]]> text/html 2010-06-04T19:05:10+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2596365/mp3-mixtape-friday-mixtape-cvi/
This week was one of those weeks that's puts things into context. Covering music is a bitch. Between Sasquatch! , Arcade Fire , Belle & Sebastian , The National , Smashing Pumpkins , and all the festival lineup announcements , I think I speak for everyone here at CoS when I say we're a bit tired. And that's even after a four-day work week. So, while we catch our breath, use this time to check out the following mix of music's best new singles, covers, and remixes, along with mp3s from some up-and-comers you [...]]]> text/html 2010-06-04T18:22:24+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2596258/sam-billen-returns-covers-passion-pit/
Remember our friend Sam Billen , who brilliantly covered The Postal Service's "This Place is a Prison" (among others)? He's now providing the latest from his covers and remix album, Removers , this time taking on Passion Pit's "To Kingdom Come". But what about the "fragile, melancholic ting", you ask? Still there, don't worry. Get Removers for free here . Sam Billen - "To Kingdom Come" (Passion Pit cover) [MP3] Bonus: Sam Billen - "Different Lives" [MP3] (Original material! From his 2009 album [...]]]> text/html 2010-05-11T16:02:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2540388/sam-billen-covers-deastro-2010/
Sam Billen - Spritle [Deastro] | zs]]> text/html 2010-05-01T10:51:00+01:00 http://elbo.ws/post/2518366/recovered-rising-stars-arborea-sam-billen-mike-and-ruthy/
The newest twigs and branches of the folk movement are still growing strong, if this month's inbox is any indication - and that's a very good thing, indeed. So today, for our regular midweek feature, we present news about a set of relatively new, relatively young artists that we've posted about before, making them ineligible for inclusion in our regular New Artists, Old Songs feature series...but perfect for a particularly focused edition of (Re)Covered . A majestic set came in last week from Arborea , [...]]]>