Sometimes this is mostly a music blog. Sometimes it's a personal blog. Sometimes, it's just empty. That's how it's been lately, as I haven't been posting. I've been focusing all my energies on other Internet ventures. I've been working as a thesis + wordpress web designer full-time for about 5 months now (my biz site, sadly, isn't my best work - but oh well I still have plenty of clients!). The time I might have spent here at GUSD is also being chewed up by my expanding affiliate marketing ventures. I've [...]
Sometimes looking back is really looking forward. Compared to artists such as Bon Iver , a fellow purveyor of mellow introspective melodies that comment on love, loss, and longing, The Tallest Man on Earth brings a retro folk sound to modern times, a poetic glance at where we've been while showing us where we might go. Tracks on his recent EP, Sometimes the Blues Is Just A Passing Bird , such as The Dreamer or Like The Wheel remind us of the importance of hanging on and celebrating quiet moments. Have a listen to [...]
Crazy For You is no angry, hard album. It's the kind of music you crave when sunshine seems far off and summer bliss is a distant memory. This is lo-fi surf rock and it just makes you happy, no? Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno comprise this So-Cal duo, who credit Rilo Kiley, weed, Dick Dale, Hole, and their cat as influences. Its' sunny sound is infectious. From all of us at GUSD, we wish you a Happy Holiday. Best Coast - Boyfriend
This Baltimore duo's third album, Teen Dream , released this year to wide acclaim. We like the blissed-out pop magic they produce, as well as the atmospheric rhythms that transport us to other times. Singer Victoria Legrand has been compared in vocal stylings to Nico, which first peaked our interest in this band. Just for fans, they recently released this single: Beach House - I Do Not Care For The Winter Sun
Making what has been described as synth-soaked funk and pop is no big deal to Chazwick Bundick, a South Carolina native with a degree in graphic design and an ear for the bubbly and the haunting. This sound is a testament to the always enticing edginess of muffled lyrics, random glitches, and heavy drum kit crashes... and then back to soothing melodies. It makes it worth listening to again and again. With a new album slated for February 2011, he shows no signs of stopping on his chillwave adventures. toro y moi - Still Sound
One of L.A.'s brightest new bands, Local Natives , appeared his year with Gorilla Manor , a fantastic modern worldly indie-rock folk adventure named after the Orange County house the band lived and recorded in. We enjoy tracks such as Airplanes, a mostly soothing wistful love song, but especially tracks such as Sun Hands, a primal-driving-unstoppable force of a song that makes you pump your fist (ok, maybe just in spirit) and thank the heavens for good, new music. We hope for more excellence from Local Natives in the years to come. Local Natives- [...]
With vocals reminiscent of Cat Power or Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, Wye Oak gives us some solid and layered driving rock. Based in Baltimore, Jenn Wasner & Andy Stack comprise this band. Their album Civilian will debut in March 2011, and are touring with the Decemberists this winter. Wye Oak-Civilian
Catchy, breezy lo-fi is one of our fave sounds to listen to on cold December mornings. Today, there's none finer than The Babies, a side project of Cassie Ramone from the Vivian Girls and Kevin Morby from the Woods . This album is set to release in Feb 2011, but in the meantime we have this single to enjoy. So enjoy! The Babies-Run Me Over
How many of you saw Eat, Pray, Love ? I'd bet it was a lot of you-but the question is, how many of you liked it? I myself thought it was a sort of up-and-down venture: very pleasing to the eye with all its tropical vistas and blessed by the presence of the great Javier Bardem, but otherwise often full of bullshit psycobabble that doesn't really connect to an audience sitting comfortably in the dark, wondering why this person who is apparently able to afford a year of globe-trotting is just soooo sad. Anyways, that [...]
A unique, Italian postmodern sound aptly describes this mysterious band. A Google search turns up surprisingly little, as they are as of now unsigned to any label... but not for long. Described as a puzzling orgy of sounds , they are well worth a listen. We hear influences ranging from New Order to CocoRosie which makes for a splendid sound. Sybiann-Monsoon Breath
If Muse and Duran Duran made a lovechild, his name just may be Patrick Wolf. With his modern, operatic take on 802s pop, Patrick dazzles us with beats and vocal trills. It may be fluffy, but it's fun. Patrick's new single "Time Of My Life" will be released on 12/6/10 from a new label called Hideout Recordings . Here's a sample: Patrick Wolf-Time Of My Life
We may not be able to pronounce it, but big deal. Finland's 70vierailijaa rocks our socks. Driving guitars and layered lady vocals make their sound. Think Radiohead meets Le Tigre . Their debut album (self-titled) just released on 11/5/2010, check out this track: 70vierailijaa- Tarkeinta on(puutarhanhoito)
Brad P and Trung Ngo aren't household names, not yet anyway. Collectively known as TV Girl, this San Diego-based chillwave indie-pop project sounds sunny and upbeat, influenced by such artists as the Velvet Underground and Harry Nilsson. Sampling Todd Rundgren's "Hello It's Me" on their track "If You Want It, You Got It", this duo is unsigned, but we think not for long. Their 4 track EP is available for free download here . TV Girl - It's Not Something
The creatively hip-hop infused, angelic-pop, tropical-electro song constructions of Sweden's Jj caught the world by storm in 2009 with their debut album "jj n 23 and then with their 2010 follow-up "jj n 33. A third album is due soon, but for now they have released "Let Them", a mash-up of Lil Wayne and T.I. and samples from Akon's "Right Now (Na Na Na)" with a B-side track that samples UK band The xx. Looks to be an interesting project. jj-let them
Like a strange and ethereal combo of Icelandic dreamland band Sigur Ros , and similar vocal stylings to artists such as Duncan Sheik , comes Spain's 6 pm . Currently working on their 2nd Album, due out soon, meanwhile fans can listen to their Tapeworms EP for free . 6pm-Letters Play
Lo-fi indie dance trio Trophy Wife have released a new album "Microlite" on Moshi Moshi records. The UK's Guardian Music Blog considers their sound as if "Vampire Weekend played New Order." That comparison is enough to perk our ears up. A blend of what the band themselves calls " Ambitionless Office Disco " with wistful lyrics, this trio promises a bright musical future. Here's the title track: Trophy Wife-Microlite
Have you ever wished there was someone talented enough to mash-up and re-mix most (if not all) of your favorite songs of the last 20 years? Really well though, like capturing the essence of what's best from artists as diverse as U2, Bananarama, Fine Young Cannibals, The Rolling Stones, Modern English, Jane's Addiction, General Public, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Arcade Fire, Portishead, and a random mix of indie rockers and hip hop artists. Wow. Greg Gillis AKA Girl Talk has done jut this. One listen to tracks such as "On and On" makes us want to [...]
Old-school doo-wop vocals with surf rock-inspired guitar make the sound of indie darlings Tennis , a new fave of ours. The baby of husband and wife team Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore and based in Denver, Tennis constructs Brian Wilson-inspired pop songs and presents them in classic three minute packages. Here's "Take Me Somewhere", the first track revealed from the band's debut LP, Cape Dory , out January 18th, 2011. Tennis-Take Me Somewhere
Rapper Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" album leak recently hit online via torrent and other MP3 download pirate sites. Many are already raving about what they're hearing too. With Mr. West there's usually no middle ground either, you love him or hate him for who he is and what he does. Kanye's fantasy album has already seen plenty of controversy, with an odd painted cover featuring naked creatures getting banned. The album debuts November 22, 2010 and features at least 13 tracks as of this report. Several of those songs [...]
It's a rainy, blustery weekday morning here in Oregon. It's the kind of morning where one either stays under the covers, snugly ignoring the gray world, or gets outta bed and plays some music to get the day going once again. Maybe it's the perfect morning for some feminist electroclash/synthpunk, like our longtime faves Le Tigre. Apparently the band is taking a break, taking some downtime to do side projects and make babies, but their work stands the test of time, and provides a great gray morning wake-up. Deceptacon-Le Tigre
Get Up, Stay Down
Azealia Banks - '1991' [Listen]
THE MASTERSONS — BIRDS FLY SOUTH
