That spaniel looking dude up there, in case you've forgotten, is Sam Beam, or as you better know him Iron & Wine. He hasn't released a new record in a while, it's true, but he has been working pretty hard on the road, and now he's got a big box of goodies he found cleaning out his closet for you. It's called Around the Well and it's a B-Sides collection: you know the drill, "rare, unreleased demos, b-sides, and alternate versions" that you've not heard until now, and it's coming out via Sub [...]
Hello friends, We really, really like the new AC Newman record, Get Guilty , and we're pretty excited about the New Pornographer front-dude rolling into town with his band of pop perfectionists. Now, you can get excited too, because it doesn't matter that the sky is falling and you don't even have rent money this month. You and a friend or enemy of your choosing can go see AC play at Exit/In if you're in the Nashville area (or willing to make the drive, I guess) by simply doing the following: [...]
The Hold Steady are a really great band. It took me a while to realize that for some reason, longer than it took Bruce Springsteen , anyways. Some time last year when Stay Positive was released something clicked between me and the Hold Steady; something genuine and great which rock and roll music doesn't make me feel very often anymore. To be sure, The Hold Steady are an American Rock and Roll band, in the long, proud, and unashamed tradition of the Boss, and that was something that always made [...]
Every year, Calvin College , University in Grand Rapids, Michigan puts on the Festival of Faith and Music, and every year the lineup is pretty great. Past performances and lecturers have included Sufjan Stevens, David Bazan, Iron & Wine, Neko Case, Emmylou Harris, & more. This year, April 2-4 will bring us FFM '09 , which will feature, alongside a myriad of insightful people s aying insightful things about all sorts of stuff , David Bazan, Vic Chesnutt, The War on Drugs, and The Hold Steady. [...]
In news as jumbled as it sounds, Fleet Foxes frontguy Robin Pecknold apparently makes Garageband recordings as White Antelope from time to time. This one is a cover of a traditional folk song called False Knight on the Road . You can listen to it here . Say, this reminds me of that one time Robin played an old folk song for our Backstage Session with him , nearly a year ago. [mp3] [...]
Enlarge that image - looks like they spent too much on pitchfork banner ads. Langerado fest is off.
Our favorite Chicago singer, songwriter, beat-maker, and general teddy bear, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone , has announced himself a new collection of songs for us to purchase on compact disc. The album will be available on March 10th, (my birthday! Send Amazon gift cards.) and is a collection of b-sides, unreleased material, remixes, etc collected from 2004-2007. It's a pretty exclusive affair, with all but two of the tracks being available for the very first time. Advance Base Battery Life , as the album is being called, will contain a [...]
The folks over at PETA , in one of the more brilliant marketing moves I've seen in recent history, have made and submitted a Super Bowl commercial which they had to know would be turned down, and are now spreading the "too hot for tv!" ad around the interwebs like it's a wildfire. The ad features very attractive females doing suggestive (well actually they go far beyond suggesting anything) with broccoli, pumpkins, etc. ch-ch-ch-check-check-ch-check it out, then enjoy some songs below by some of my [...]
Those meddling cabbers are at it again, and they're bringing the Cold War Kids, Ra Ra Riot, and Matt Costa (wha?) with them. Death Cab will be out playing music for U.S. Americans for what seems like the tenth time since the release of Narrow Stairs not very long ago. You'd think they'd want to slow down sometime soon, but it doesn't appear to be going down that way, as they'll be living out of a tour bus, well a tour bus and nice hotel rooms, from 3 weeks from now until May with a break for most [...]
It's a good month for the nice folks at Barsuk Records . The fatherly Seattle label shall release not just the Andrew Kenny/Wooden Birds record mentioned earlier today, but also the newest record from Seattle via Brooklyn's Say Hi . Eric Elbogen, the artist formerly known as Say Hi to Your Mom, is still the sole proprietor of Say Hi's Indie Rock cottage industry, just as he was last year when he released one of our favorite records , so you can expect another [...]
I've been waiting a really long time to make an announcement saying these words: Andrew Kenny, front-man of American Analog Set and one of the chillest dudes alive, has a new album - and you can hear some songs from it. The project is called The Wooden Birds and here's the rundown: Kenny sings and plays guitar, David Wingo (Ola Podrida) is in the band as well, as is AmAnSet collaborator Leslie Sisson and Lymbic System drummer Michael Bell. The album is called Magnolia and is due in the spring, [...]
Friends and patriots, I know I've been mostly dormant so far in the new year even after promising not to be. I guess I lied. But I'm not lying this time, I'll be back in full force starting Monday. Like, back to posting everyday instead of once a week. I've been enjoying your civil debate about Animal Collective. Would you like to come over for tea? -Caleb
A long time ago I mentioned not liking Animal Collective. Around this time, the Baltimore five-piece was a large blip on everybody's radar - not quite Vampire Weekend sized, but certainly not going unnoticed. Fast forward to January 2008; people are falling all over themselves over Animal Collective. From Pitchfork to the New York Times and every music blog in between, people are blathering on and on about how wonderful this band is. My question, to you the reader, is this: why? What makes this [...]
...Because he kind of says as much in his most recent blog ...which I have a real problem with. I know one thing, I certainly won't be missing out on the tickets that go one sale very soon for his newly added second Nashville show. I sure hope it's not the first AND last time I get to enjoy the Ry-man's company. That would be tragic. Buy your tickets while you still can. [mp3] Ryan Adams - To Be [...]
Lock your door, turn off your phone, sign out of email, ichat, and gmail talk and go listen to Hold Time in it's entirety for free at NPR .
Another year is upon us, friends. Here we are, a mere ten days into 2009, and it feels like it should be March already (just me?). At any rate, a new year cometh, and with it a slew, no - a bevy! Nay! A venerable cornucopia of new releases to be excited about. 2008 was a pretty good year for new music, but I've got money on 2009 being an even better year, thanks in large part to the things I am about to tell you of. 1. David Bazan - (Unconfirmed Title) - [...]
Hello! How was your New Years? Mine was fine, thanks, though I came down with a bit of a stomach virus which inhabited my ability to eat anything other than pita chips and watery soup for a few days. Sometimes you have to get back to the basics though, right? Let's review all the excitement that happened while I was gone: Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel's engagement leaked to the public inspiring a hillarious-to-watch onslaught of music bloggers furiously trying to break the story with a spin of sarcasm and "Not [...]
In need of some last minute Christmas gifts for the music-lover in your life? In need of a use for that Christmas cash you'll be getting soon, perhaps? Maybe you just haven't been to a show in a long time - whatever the case, there are a few good late winter/spring tours being announced already for you to look forward to! Bon Iver has lined up some dates , here in the states and in Australia. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin will be [...]
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Pershing (Polyvinyl) [mp3] Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Think I Wanna Die Buy it at Insound 703 times - the number of times I've played a song from Pershing this year, according to my Last.fm data. 703 plays, for an album with ten songs (the short, barely there interlude at [...]
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park (4AD) [mp3] Department of Eagles - No One Does it Like You Buy it at Insound Few records have ever blindsided me as much as In Ear Park did when I first heard it on a rainy September day. I was familiar with Department of Eagles, they were that side-project of Dan Rossen's from Grizzly Bear, the [...]
It's hard to Find a Friend
Monday Music – 28 May 2012
Bison - Quill
Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
